It'll Be O.K.
by RosieG
Summary: Our fate is written in the stars at the time of our birth, or is it? Neville's world is changing and for good or bad no one knows. But one thing Neville does know is that things will never be the same. -A slightly different Neville story. *COMPLETE*
1. Late Night Letters

It'll Be O.K.  
  
A.N) All characters belong to J.K. Rowling! I own nothing (Besides my ideas of course!)  
  
  
Chapter 1:  
  
Tick... tick... tick...  
It was 3:42 in the morning, according to the watch next to his bed, but Neville couldn't sleep.  
Ever since he had come home for the summer, something had been constantly nagging in the pit of his stomach. He didn't think he'd ever forget the events of the past year, how could he? Some of it was still a blur, and he had a feeling the entire ordeal would never quite sink in...  
He sighed.  
Cedric had been a nice boy.  
  
Neville still remembered that time he had tripped on his way to potions and would have been late if Cedric hadn't passed by and helped him retrieve all of his books parchment and quills.  
Two weeks later, Cedric was gone.  
It all seemed a little too familiar to him...  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
"Gran!" Neville shouted, as he walked through the back door into his house. He had been out playing in the garden and was extremely dirty.  
"Gran!" He shouted again.  
No one answered.  
"Gran?"  
Neville walked into the living room being extra careful not to touch any of the spotless walls and furniture with his dirty hands.  
There she was, sitting on the sofa and looking as if she had just walked through the Bloody Baron.  
"Gran! What happened?" Neville asked in surprise.  
His Grandmother turned to look at him with a shocked expression.  
"They've found your parent's..." she said silently.  
"The impact of this one sentence brought Neville to his knees. "What?" He whispered.  
"Yes," continued his Grandmother in a strangled kind of way, "apparently, they're not dead..." and her voice too trailed of into a whisper.  
  
END OF FLASHBACK  
  
Neville looked at the clock. It now read 4:26. "Might as well get up." He sighed and slumped out of bed. Since he couldn't sleep anyway, there was no point in just lying in bed, staring at the ceiling and reminiscing.   
What was done was done. Or was it?  
He wasn't sure that it ever would be and he wasn't sure that everything in his life would one day be   
O.K.  
It was still dark out and Neville had nothing better to do, so he decided to go out and check on his Midnight Molemovers, a quite useful plant that kept Moles from digging up gardens, though it could only be seen when dark out.  
Yes, after he had come home for the Summer Holidays, his Grandmother had finally agreed to let him keep a garden, owing to the fact that Neville had gotten 96% on his Herbology exam. Of course, his grandmother had yelled herself hoarse at him when she saw his Potions grade but hey, nobody's perfect!  
  
Neville had been working for about ten minutes when, suddenly, he saw an owl flying towards him, a letter clamped tightly in it's beak. The owl fluttered down and landed in a patch of magical Lavender Lilacs. Neville started in surprise when he saw that the letter was addressed to him.  
He opened it quickly and read:  
  
Dear Neville,  
I couldn't sleep so I decided to write to you.  
How are you? I'm fine but I miss you an awful lot! This summer is going to be way too long for my liking!   
The reason for my letter is to let you know that I know how hard you've been taking this. But don't forget, Cedric was in my house. I suppose I just wanted you let you know that I'll always be there for you, no matter what, because you're my best friend and I really like you.  
Think about me when it becomes too much to handle, because I'll be thinking of you.  
Yours Always,  
Hannah Abbot  
  
Neville read the letter two more times, blushing crimson the entire while.  
"So she does care." He thought to himself.  
The thought comforted him greatly.  
  
He and Hannah studied Herbology together. She was in Hufflepuff and he though she was very pretty. Neville never quite understood why it had taken him so long to finally notice her. He supposed it had been his current infatuation with Hermione and Ginny. But he had noticed her in the end and came to realize that he really liked her, maybe even something more. They had talked a lot and became the best of friends, and then one day, Neville told Hannah something he had never told anyone-  
He told her about his parents...  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
As he walked down the hall of the psychiatric ward in St. Mungo's Hospital of Magical Maladies and injuries, Neville couldn't help feeling excited. He had thought that his parents were dead...  
One rainy day, when he was little (he couldn't remember but his Grandmother had told him), there had been a knock on the front door.  
Two ministry wizards were standing in the doorway looking as if Voldemort had come back.  
They spoke to his grandparents in hushed tones and then Neville's Grandmother broke down completely.  
One year later his Grandfather died. That Neville remembered. That was also about the time he became incredibly clumsy...  
Neville stopped outside room 749.  
"Go on." whispered his Grandmother.  
Neville slowly pushed the door open and peered into the room.   
There were two beds inside. One was unoccupied and in the other was-  
"Mom?" Neville said softly.  
On the bed lay a woman he could hardly distinguish from the pictures on the mantle back home. His mother was lying on her back, her eyes wide, staring into oblivion. Her eyes really were the only reason he could truly be sure it was her. Those deep brown eyes that glinted with flecks of gold when they caught the light, reminded Neville of the sound of laughter from long ago... but there was no laughter in them now, only dark vacancy.  
"Mom?" Neville said again, inching closer.  
His mother turned her face towards him and simply stared for ten seconds until returning her concentration to the ceiling.  
Neville's eyes filled with tears, but he was distracted just then by a nurse who was wheeling a man in on a wheelchair. Neville recognized him immediately. It was his father.  
He looked almost the same except for the fact the he was unnaturally thin and his face had more wrinkles than in the pictures of him back home. He looked so tired.  
"Dad?" Neville dropped to his knees in order to be more or less level with his father's face.  
"Hmmm?" answered his father.  
"It's me, Neville." said Neville smiling.  
"Neville?"  
"Yeah." Said Neville enthusiastically.  
A moment of silence and then...  
"Who's Neville?"  
Neville felt the blood drain from his face. He could have sworn that somebody had just ripped his heart from his chest.  
"It's... it's me. Your son. Neville!" he said unable to control the note of panic in his voice.  
"Son? I don't have a son. Do I?"  
Neville couldn't take it anymore. Tears streaming down his face, he ran from the room straight into his grandmother's arms.  
"Neville, what happened?!" she cried.  
"They... they don't know who I am..." Neville replied in a soft and vulnerable voice that broke his grandmother's heart in two...  
  
END OF FLASBACK  
  
Hannah had been in shock when Neville told her. She couldn't believe that Neville had never told anyone about it before and had just kept it bottled up inside.  
Neville believed now that the reason he had always acted like such a bungling fool was actually because of the fact that he had been bottling it up for so long. It was ever lingering around him causing him to think of nothing other than what a pitiable blockhead he was. He based this belief on the fact that once he had told Hannah, he loosened up considerably. Of course he was still terrified of Snape and often tripped over his own two feet but now there was an ever-present confidence that had never been there before. He wasn't afraid to say what he felt and he knew he owed this mostly to Hannah and it made him admire and appreciate her more than ever.  
  
Neville walked back into the house and got a quill and a piece of parchment. He sat down at the   
Kitchen table and wrote:  
  
Dear Hannah,  
  
Neville paused. What on Earth was he supposed to say to a girl that he cared more about than he had ever cared about anyone before?   
He decided to be bold- he decided on the truth.  
  
You have no idea what your letter meant to me. All my life, I've never had a true friend, and   
then you came along and turned my messed up world into something I want to wake up to every   
morning. My heart skipped a beat to know that you truly cared, and I want you to know that I   
care too. Hannah, I think I'm falling in love with you. I've never felt this way about anyone before.  
I think of you and I forget about everything. About my parents, about Snape, and I just want to   
make you feel like the most special person in the world only I don't know how!   
I can't stand this anymore! I have to meet you! I'm going to Diagon Alley next Thursday with Gran to get my stuff for school. Please be there, outside Flourish and Blott's at 11:30 am. Besides  
for the fact of wanting desperately to see you, I also really need someone to talk to and you're   
still my best friend (even better than Trevor).  
I'll be waiting.  
Yours,  
Neville L.  
"Wow..." Neville said softly to himself, as he reread his letter. He had never been what someone would call articulate. He couldn't believe he had just written that. It was beautiful!  
"But then," he thought to himself, "it does seem that Hannah brings out the best in me."  
He got up and went back outside to where the owl was stills sitting in his Lavender Lilacs. Neville tied the letter to it's foot and sent it away.  
Neville suddenly felt very tired. He climbed back upstairs and snuggled back into bed feeling that   
Thursday couldn't come soon enough.  
  
  
A.N) Hope you enjoy! I'll try to write the next chapter as quickly as possible.  
  
  
  
'.txt'.  
  
  
  
  



	2. The Meeting

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling as well as Dumbledore's speech. I own nothing but my ideas (and the computer I'm writing them on...)  
  
A.N) I'm sorry I took so long to update but I was in a car crash and hurt my arm, but now I'm o.k! =)  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Neville awoke on Thurs. morning with butterflies in his stomach. It took him a moment to remember why but when he did, he jumped out of bed at once.  
"Oww!"  
Neville had jumped a little too high for his low ceilinged bedroom.  
Massaging his head where he had banged it, Neville went downstairs for breakfast. His grandmother was frying eggs as he bounced into the kitchen.  
"Morning Gran!" he said happily, thinking of his meeting later that day with Hannah.  
"Good morning Neville." His grandmother replied curiously. The fact was, Neville rarely bounced. "What are you so excited about?"  
"Oh, well, I wrote Hannah and I told her to come to come to Diagon Alley as well. I haven't seen her all summer. We're going to meet."  
Neville's grandmother made an indistinct noise in her throat, showing her disapproval of   
Neville's life choices. She didn't think boys should have girls as their best friends.  
Neville ignored this as he began buttering toast from a stack on the table.  
Toast, besides eggs and pasta, were basically the only thing that his grandmother could make without burning. It was ever Neville's wish to introduce her to the house-elves at Hogwarts and see if she walked away with any recipes she couldn't ruin.   
When Neville had eaten, he flew upstairs to get dressed and then took to bouncing around the house out of excitement. Every few minutes, a crash was heard as Neville broke yet another vase or glass or plate. Neville ordinarily managed to break a remarkable number of things without bouncing around in excitement. Needless to say, the house was a mess by the time he and his grandmother set off.   
They would be taking the muggle train to London, for Neville's grandmother thought that Floo Powder was much to dangerous and messy.  
The train ride would be an hour long so Neville settled himself comfortably next to the window in the compartment.  
They rode by farmland and a wood and stopped in many little villages, but Neville didn't notice. He was staring at the sky, deep in though.  
Half a year ago, he had been sure that things were finally getting better. It had seemed that Voldemort was gone for good and each visit with his parents brought him closer to his father.   
Of course, his father thought that he was just a nice boy who came to listen to his stories about back when he had been a pirate and sailed the Seven Seas with Long John Silver. Neville's father would enact various famous battles with a hat-stand, which he seemed to think was Blackbeard. These battles normally ended with the hat-stand on the floor, though once in a while, the hat-stand, having been pushed to one side, would swing back and conk Neville's father when he least expected.  
"Aha!" his father would then shout, "Sneaking up on me when my back is turned! Blackbeard you have dirty tricks!"  
Neville chuckled to himself as he recalled one such visit last Easter.  
  
Things had been getting better... and then Voldemort had come back.  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
Neville couldn't understand what had happened. Harry had touched the Triwizard Cup at the same time as Cedric and both of them had disappeared. Twenty minutes later he saw, from his seat in the stadium, that Harry had returned holding onto Cedric's hand. Both of them were lying on the ground and both seemed to be unconscious. Dumbledore had run to them and was bending over Harry, who didn't seem to want to let go of Cedric, and then, the screaming had started. Neville couldn't hear what was being said at first, but then someone nearby gave a shout. "It's Cedric!" Neville heard him cry, "Cedric Diggory's dead!"  
The girls around Neville burst into tears, screaming, and Neville felt as though he were about to faint.  
"No." he said to himself softly. "It can't be."  
  
Everyone was sent to their dormitories immediately. When he reached his own room at the top of the spiral staircase, he found Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan already there. They didn't speak to eachother as they got into bed. Neville's head was reeling. What had happened? How could Cedric be dead? Neville simply couldn't bring himself to believe it.   
He wouldn't believe it.  
  
"The end of another year."  
It was the Leaving Feast, which was usually held at the end of each year, and Dumbledore was saying his good-bye speech. Normally, the walls would be hung with the colors of the house that had won the House Cup that year, but now it was hung in black out of respect to Cedric.  
Dumbledore continued his speech but Neville wasn't listening. He was looking over at the Hufflepuff table and saw Hannah sitting silently with her head down. She wasn't crying but she looked shocked. Neville still hadn't had the chance to talk to her and he had no idea what she was going through. He wished he could help her.  
Neville turned his attention back to what Dumbledore was saying.  
"Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities that distinguish Hufflepuff house. He was a good and loyal friend, a hard worker, he valued fair play. His death has affected you all, whether you knew him well or not."   
Neville looked down at his hands, tears welling up in his eyes. Dumbledore continued.  
"I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about."  
Neville looked up.  
"Cedric was murdered by Lord Voldemort."  
Whatever Neville had been expecting, it hadn't been that. He swayed in his seat feeling incredibly sick. His vision blurred from shock. "No." he thought to himself desperately. "Voldemort's gone. He's gone where he can't hurt me anymore." But Neville knew in his heart that wasn't true. Everyone knew that there was always a chance he might come back.  
And now he had.   
  
END OF FLASHBACK  
  
The man, no, the thing, that had torn his and so many other families apart. Neville was terrified of him but deep down, he held such a boiling hate towards Voldemort that he was afraid it would eat him up from inside. This frightened Neville almost as much as Voldemort. He was a peaceful boy by nature and had a feeling he could do terrible things if his hate ever took over, and he could simply hope that if this happened, it wouldn't affect the way he treated people. He couldn't stand it if he ever hurt anyone!  
Of course this thought made him think about Hannah and his stomach started doing flip-flops. Neville was starting to get nervous. He suddenly realized what a complete idiot he was. What had he been thinking, telling Hannah he thought he was falling in love with her?! What if she didn't feel the same way? What if she thought he was silly? What if she had met someone else over the summer?  
The What If's stayed with Neville for the rest of the train ride and followed Neville into Diagon Alley. Though once there, he quickly turned his attention to the list of things he needed for school. This year, he was determined not to forget anything.  
He bought quills and parchment and all of his books. He then proceeded to Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. He had gone through a growth spurt over the summer and needed new school robes as well as new dress robes. Madame Malkin successfully managed to scare him half to death before he made his way to Flourish and Blott's at 11:30.  
Neville sat down on a bench outside the store, while his grandmother went to pick up some magical cook-books from a witches supplies store nearby. This thoroughly worried him, but after fifteen minutes had gone by, and Hannah still hadn't shown up, Neville turned his worries to more pressing matters. The What If's began to haunt him once more.  
"What if she didn't get my letter?" he thought desperately, "Or worse! What if she got it and decided she doesn't like me and never wants to speak to me again?"  
Neville was panicking by the time his grandmother came back. When she realized that Hannah hadn't shown, she tsk'd as if she'd known it all along. She then told Neville it was time to go.  
"Just ten more minutes, please!" Neville pleaded.  
"No. I'm sorry Neville but the train leaves in ten minutes. Now off you go!" She replied sternly.  
Neville knew it was no use to argue, so he trudged off after his grandmother, his heart sinking with every step.  
"Hannah didn't come." he thought, "Why didn't she come? Did I do something wrong?"  
These thoughts followed Neville all the way home, where his mood was definitely not improved by   
the fact that he still had to clean up all of the things he had broken that morning.  
  
  
A.N) I hope you enjoy chapter 2. I spent all of Biology class writing it so you'd all better! Just kidding! Everyone is free to think whatever they want just please r/r!   
  
  
  
  



	3. Help! Its Uncle Algie!

Chapter 3:  
  
Disclaimer: All Characters belong to J.K. Rowling and her absolutely brilliant mind! (In case she reads this, which is doubtful, then she should know that I'm NOT kidding!)  
  
A.N.) I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's kind of funny...  
  
There were two weeks left to summer vacation and Neville couldn't see how he was going to survive them. He had written to Hannah twice since Diagon Alley and she still hadn't written back. He was worried that he had done something terribly wrong and that not only did Hannah not feel the same way, but now Neville was pretty sure that she wanted nothing to do with him anymore.  
These thoughts were bothering him one Sunday afternoon when his grandmother came in and   
gave him something much worse to think about.  
"Neville?" she said as she walked into the living room and found Neville with his brow furrowed wearing a look of intense worry on his face.  
"Mmmm?" Neville answered in a preoccupied sort of way.  
"Well, I was just coming to tell you that your Great Uncle Algie wrote us."  
Neville immediately forgot his worries about Hannah and looked at his grandmother with panic in his eyes. "Oh no! Please tell me that he isn't coming to visit. Please!"  
She raised her eyebrows at him. "Neville!" she said scoldingly. Neville flinched. He hated when she used that tone of voice, which was most of the time. "He's your uncle. I'm surprised at you!"  
"But Gran!" Neville said in an exasperated voice, "He nearly killed me last time he was here. Imagine if I hadn't bounced all the way down the garden and into the road! You'd have a squashed up pancake instead of me!"  
"Hmm. Maybe a squashed up pancake wouldn't manage to break everything in this house." his grandmother said in a way that was quite unlike herself. She sounded as though she actually had a sense of humor! "Anyway," she continued, "your Great Uncle Algie isn't coming for a visit," Neville breathed a sigh of relief, "he's coming to live here so, so you'd better behave yourself!"  
Neville gaped at his grandmother.  
"Don't look at me like that! After lunch I want you to go upstairs and clean up the spare room. Uncle Algie will be arriving the day after tomorrow." With that she walked briskly from the room leaving Neville still gaping after her in shock.  
  
Two days later, Neville stood in the hallway by the door waiting for his Great Uncle Algie to arrive. He was wearing a new sweater that his grandmother had bought for him and which was making him itch all over.  
He was just contemplating whether his grandmother would be very mad if he changed, when there was a knock on the door.  
Neville froze. This was it! The end of his entire being was standing just behind that door...  
There was another knock on the door.  
"Neville!" his grandmother's voice came from the kitchen, "Answer please!" Neville smelled the unmistakable scent of something beginning to burn. "Oh dear." He heard his grandmother   
say to herself, "there goes the quiche!" Neville sighed, pulled himself together and answered   
the door.  
In the doorway stood a tall man, not too tall but above average all the same. He had neat gray hair quickly turning white and a small bald patch on the back of his head. His nose was quite long and he had large gray-green eyes. Looking at him at first glance, one would never begin to assume that this man held a level of wickedness equal to that of Fred and George Weasley put together!  
"Neville, my boy!" he shouted. Great Uncle Algie always shouted. "So good to see you again! You've grown, you have! Why, last time I saw you, you were small as a mouse with magical abilities to match. Hope that's changed since then!"  
"Hello Uncle Algie." Said Neville unenthusiastically.  
"Algie!" Neville's grandmother walked in smiling at her brother, "How are you?"  
"Same as always, dear sister, same as always, if not bit put-out about this whole ordeal with Enid. Threw me out of the house, she did! Said I had finally gotten on her nerves. Can't imagine what she meant!"  
"I wonder..." thought Neville.  
"Yes, I heard about that." Said his grandmother with pursed lips. "But tell me Algie, what in Heaven's name did you do this time?!"  
"Do? I didn't do anything!" Uncle Algie said in a saintly tone that fooled nobody.  
"Now, now Algie, I find that very hard to believe! Out with it!" replied his grandmother.  
"But really! I didn't do anything I haven't done before!" Great Uncle Algie continued defiantly.  
"I'm waiting! What was it?"  
"Very well, I forgot our 63rd anniversary. But it's not like I haven't forgotten one before!" he exclaimed as Neville's grandmother groaned. "If I've told her once, I've told her a hundred times, my memory is just no good!"  
"Oh poppytosh! You and I both know that your memory is perfect." She said scoldingly.  
Neville winced. He wondered how Great Uncle Algie could continue looking so jolly after his grandmother used that tone.  
"Well perhaps it didn't help when I told her that I think anniversaries are a waste of time and money, but they are!" Uncle Algie said solemnly.   
"Oh Algie, you insufferable imbecile!" Neville's grandmother heaved a great sigh and then stomped off to the kitchen.  
"Well, that's done with." Great Uncle Algie said, staring after her before turning to Neville. "So Neville, young lad! Where's my room?"  
Neville sighed like his grandmother and began walking up the stairs.  
  
The rest of the summer was a nightmare.  
On Great Uncle Algie's previous visits, he had tried to get Neville to reveal his magical abilities by catching him off his guard. His new project was to relieve Neville of his clumsiness. This, needless to say, was not a very good idea. Great Uncle Algie would creep up from behind Neville and shout "BOO!" at the top of his lungs, obviously hoping that Neville would get used to sudden movements and noises. The only thing he managed to do, however, was to make Neville even more jumpy than usual. Neville found, over the next two weeks, that he was constantly looking over his shoulder, terrified his Great Uncle might be lurking nearby.  
Once, Neville was walking though his garden, watering his plants, when a foot stuck out from behind a tree next to the path. Neville had tripped, fallen flat on his face and sprained his wrist, the same wrist he had sprained in his first year after having fallen off a broomstick. The foot, of course, had belonged to Great Uncle Algie, who told him, as his grandmother came rushing outside, her face gray with worry, that he had only been trying to make Neville catch himself when he tripped. Neville's grandmother was beside herself with fury and she forbade his Great Uncle to go anywhere near Neville for the remainder of the holidays. This having happened only three days before the end of vacation, it was a small comfort.  
But worse than his trouble with Great Uncle Algie, was his trouble with Hannah.  
Neville had written to Hannah several more times over the summer, and he still hadn't received a reply. He started to wonder if his letters weren't getting through to her at all but knew that wasn't the case. And so he began to constantly scold himself because, whatever it was, he was sure it was his fault. Of course, he couldn't see what he had done to make Hannah stop speaking to him, but he knew he must've done something.  
And along with everything, there was always that knowledge that Voldemort was out there, ruining someone else's life, destroying hopes and dreams...   
All in all, Neville reached the end of the vacation in lower spirits than when he'd started them.  
  
The night before he was to return to school, a letter arrived. It was not, as Neville thought for a fleeting moment, a letter from Hannah, but it was addressed to him. It was a letter from his Great Auntie Enid whom Neville liked much more than his Great Uncle Algie.  
  
Dear Neville,  
How are you darling? I'm doing just fine (and you can tell that to your blockhead of an uncle!). I'm writing to check up on you because your grandmother wrote me and told me what my idiotic husband did. I hope your wrist will be all right and I hope your year at Hogwarts will be fun. I don't believe I've ever told you how proud I am that you were accepted dear. Just remember to listen to your teachers and always dress warmly and don't worry about being clumsy. You may not know this, but when I married your Uncle, he tripped on his shoelaces walking down the isle, and somehow managed, at the reception, to bump into a busboy and sent him flying headfirst into our wedding cake! You'll see, you'll grow out of it.  
I love you dearly!  
Great Auntie Enid  
  
Neville finished the letter and smiled. Though it hadn't been from Hannah, it made him feel so much better to know that his Great Uncle Algie had probably been an even bigger klutz than him.  
But the fact remained that Hannah still hadn't written to him and he still didn't know why.  
"Oh well," he said to himself, as he got ready for bed that night, "Tomorrow I'll talk to her and find out what's going on." He got into bed, and was just drifting off to sleep when...  
"Oh no! I forgot to buy my potions ingredients!"  
  
  
  
A.N.) Enjoy! I thought the story needed some humor so bare with Great Uncle Algie...  
Thanks!   
  
  
  
  



	4. Aboard the Hogwarts Express

Disclaimer= I own absolutely nothing besides the paper on which I wrote this story! All Characters belong to the imaginative J.K. Rowling.  
  
A.N.:) I stayed up all night writing this chapter! I got started and just couldn't stop! So I really hope everyone likes it, though as Albus Dumbledore once told Hagrid "Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time."  
  
  
Chapter Four:  
  
Since the trip to London was an hour long, Neville had to leave very early with his grandmother in order to get to King's Cross-Station on time. As Great Uncle Algie was prohibited to go anywhere near Neville (unless he wanted to deal with his sister, which he did not) he wouldn't be accompanying them, to Neville's great relief. But though his wrist throbbed every time he thought of his Great Uncle, Neville couldn't help but feel a little bit sorry for him. Apparently, he had been greatly offended when he hadn't received a letter from Great Auntie Enid as well, and had begun to realize that the matter was quite serious. Poor Great Uncle Algie. He had really put his foot in it this time.  
On the train, Neville thought of the coming year and how different Hogwarts would probably be. Things were bound to be different everywhere since the Dark Lord had risen again. It still felt like a dream, a very bad dream. But to tell the truth, that wasn't what was bothering Neville most at the moment. His grandmother had agreed to go to Diagon Alley that day and buy him his Potions ingredients but Neville would have to do without them for at least a week until he'd get them. That was considerably enough time for Snape to skin him alive. Neville shuddered at the thought of Potions class. Professor Snape hated him and terrified Neville to pieces. Though, since his newfound self-esteem, he was perhaps a bit less frightened of him, but only because he knew there were scarier things out there in the world...  
Like the fact that Hannah might hate him.  
That last thought lingered in Neville's mind as the train pulled to a stop and he clambered off after his grandmother. He made his way to the barrier between platforms nine and ten, and leaned absentmindedly against it.  
Nothing. He didn't go through.  
Neville mentally shook himself and leaned against the barrier again.  
It wouldn't budge.  
He began to panic. Why couldn't he get through the barrier? What was he going to do? He was going to miss the Hogwarts Express! He was going to miss Hannah! He was going to-  
"Neville! What are you doing?" His grandmother's voice came sharply from somewhere behind him. Neville turned around and looked at her. She was standing at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. So where was he? He looked up and saw that he had been trying to pass through the barrier between platforms eight and nine this whole time! Neville blushed and smiled sheepishly before picking up his things and heading towards his grandmother.  
"Honestly!" she said, "Sometimes, Neville, I don't know what goes on in that head of yours!" She leaned casually against the barrier and slid through and Neville followed suit, no problem.  
Platform nine and three quarters appeared before his eyes. The Hogwarts Express, the students milling around, saying their good-byes. Neville smiled as he ran after his grandmother.  
"Now, go and find a compartment and then come back and tell your old grandmother good-bye." She took out a spotted turquoise handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes.  
Neville set off in search of a compartment and found an empty one at the very back of the train. He deposited his trunk and bags there and went back to say good-bye.   
After promising his sobbing grandmother that he would behave and try harder in Potions this year, she left, reassuring Neville that she would send him his ingredients right away. He watched her go, knowing he would miss her quite a bit. Neville sighed and turned on his to heal back to the train, and then, he saw her.  
Hannah.  
She was standing near the ticket-booth checking her things and Neville found that he could just gape at her, stricken for the moment by how beautiful she looked when the sun caught on her hair as she pushed it out of her eyes. He would have rushed over to her right away but for the fact that he found his feet were frozen to the floor and his heart was pounding in his chest. He couldn't breathe and his stomach felt as though he had swallowed a dozen toad-shaped peppermint creams.  
"Breathe Neville!" He thought, "Breathe!" Neville took a deep breath and was about to go over to her when someone else beat him to it.  
A dark haired boy who Neville didn't recognize, walked over to Hannah and began talking to her. Neville watched, feeling his stomach disappear, as Hannah laughed and gave the boy one of her radiant smiles.  
Instantly, Neville's insides exploded with jealousy, yet, at the same time, he couldn't help feeling a little bit guilty. Why was he so jealous? Hannah wasn't his girlfriend (even though he'd hoped she would be) and hadn't he suspected all along that Hannah had met someone else over the summer? His suspicions were further confirmed when the dark haired boy leaned towards Hannah and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  
Neville turned away and ran to the train. If he watched one more second, he was sure he'd burst into tears. However, when he reached his compartment, he found three very unwelcome people sitting there.  
Malfoy Crabbe and Goyle had taken the liberty of making themselves comfortable in Neville's compartment while he had been gone.  
"Hey! This was my compartment!" he protested, though quietly, as Malfoy was another one of those people who scared Neville silly.  
"Yeah, was being the key word. It's ours now." Malfoy's cold drawling voice replied. Crabbe dumped Neville's luggage out into the corridor and laughed stupidly.  
"Now get out of here, squib!" Malfoy laughed.  
Neville could feel his eyes start to sting with tears when a voice came from behind him.  
"One more word Malfoy, and you'll wish you'd never been born, or have you already forgotten how it feels to wake up after being knocked, out with mushrooms all over your hands and feet and no eyebrows?"  
Neville turned around and found Harry Potter standing there, wand out, and looking at Malfoy as though he thought he were the most disgusting thing on Earth. Behind him stood his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger both looking like they were itching for Malfoy to give them a reason to point their wands at him as well.  
Malfoy glared at Harry, though, for a fleeting moment, Neville was sure he saw actual fear flitting through his eyes. Apparently, Malfoy hadn't forgotten.  
"Well look who's here. It's Scarface." He said through gritted teeth.  
"That's it!" shouted Ron. He lunged himself at Malfoy but Harry held out an arm to stop him and Hermione grabbed the back of his T-shirt.   
Harry raised his wand. "Give me a reason, Malfoy, and I will." He said with deadly determination. "You've got three seconds to get out of my sight and take your brainless gits with you. One... Two..."  
Malfoy sneered at Harry before taking his bags and leaving, calling Crabbe and Goyle after him.  
Harry lowered his wand and Neville looked at him with admiration. "Thanks Harry." He said gratefully.  
"No problem, Neville." Harry replied.  
Neville was surprised at the change in Harry's voice. He suddenly sounded so drained. Harry sighed and Neville noticed for the first time how tired he looked. He had dark circles under his eyes, as though he hadn't slept in days, which, Neville reminded himself, was probably the case. He thought for a moment about what Harry must be going through, knowing that Voldemort was out there, alive and well and bending all of his power to find him and kill him.  
Ron gave a worried glance at Harry and turned to Neville. "Listen, Neville, do you mind if we share the compartment with you?"  
"What? Oh, no not at all." Neville stepped inside, "Come on in." He settled himself next to the window and watched as Harry, Ron and Hermione got comfortable.  
"So, Neville," said Hermione, "what happened to your arm?"   
Neville looked down at his bandaged wrist and smiled. He found he didn't mind Uncle Algie so much when comparing him to Malfoy. He launched into the whole story about how Great Uncle Algie had been thrown out and how he was constantly trying to improve Neville, though, as everyone could see, was failing spectacularly. By the end, they were all out of breath from laughing so hard, even, he was pleased to see, Harry.  
After that, they plaid exploding snap for an hour, and when they got bored playing cards, Hermione curled up with a book and left them to discuss who they thought would take Oliver Wood's place as Keeper on the Gryffindor House Quidditch team.  
At two o'clock in the afternoon, the nice lady with the lunch cart opened their door and asked them if they wanted anything. Neville got a bunch of Chocolate Frogs (his favorite) and everyone else got something as well. They sat there pigging out for a while until Ron got up and announced that he was going to stretch his legs, but before he left, he sent Hermione a meaningful glance and then walked out the door.  
Hermione suddenly jumped up and said she was going to say hello to Lavender Brown and left quickly after him.  
Neville watched her go. "What was that all about?" he asked Harry, confused.  
Harry smiled conspiratorially. "Well, they think I don't know, but they're so obvious!" he snickered.  
"What?" asked Neville, his eyes growing wide.  
"Ron and Hermione are better friends than everyone thinks..." Harry laughed.  
"Do you mean?" Neville asked, his eyes growing even wider. "Ron and Hermione?"  
"Yup! Girlfriend and boyfriend." Announced Harry, clearly enjoying himself. He heaved a huge fake sigh. "They've been sneaking off everywhere together, and giving eachother all these funny looks, it's quite obvious. Besides," he added with a shrug, "I accidentally overheard one of their conversations during the summer, they went all mushy. I left before it could do me any permanent mental damage..." Harry burst out laughing.  
"You seem to be taking it very well." Exclaimed Neville, surprised that Harry wasn't the least bit offended by the fact that Ron and Hermione were keeping secrets from him.  
"Well, I've been waiting for this to happen since last year." Harry replied. "Honestly! Those two were made for eachother." He continued, laughing again. "Not only that, but they deserve eachother, anyone else wouldn't be able to put up with one of them for even a second!"  
Neville laughed as well, but only halfheartedly. He was thinking about Hannah again and his insides were writhing with jealousy. But he didn't have time to brood, because at that moment, Fred and George Weasley burst into the compartment.  
"Hello!" said George jauntily sitting down next to Neville.  
"Hi." Squeaked Neville. Though Fred and George didn't scare him, they still made him very nervous, especially after that time last year when they had fed him a Canary Cream and successfully managed to turn him into a giant yellow bird.  
"Listen, Harry," said Fred, plopping down next to Harry, "We need to find Ron. You know where he is?"  
"Ummm, no, not exactly." Said Harry, trying and failing to keep from smirking.  
George raised his eyebrows, then looked around the compartment. "Wait a minute, where's Hermione?" He looked at Fred and comprehension dawned on both of their faces.  
Fred's mouth twitched into an wicked grin. "What do you think, dear brother? Do you believe ickle Ronniekins is off seizing opportunity?"  
Harry snorted.  
"Why, if opportunity has bushy hair and brown eyes, then you might be correct, my fellow conspirator!" replied George his mouth breaking into an identical smile.  
Fred turned to Harry. "Sorry to leave so soon," he began.  
"But we have places to go and people to see!" finished George. And with that, they left the compartment snickering.  
Neville watched them leave apprehensively, feeling very sorry for Ron and Hermione if Fred and George were to catch them.  
His thoughts turned once again to Hannah and the dark haired boy he'd seen kissing her on the cheek. He must've looked very worried because Harry asked, "Neville, what's up?"  
Neville looked at Harry contemplating whether to say something or not about his predicament. He decided he preferred to keep it to himself so he replied, "Nothing, just thinking about things." Harry looked at him strangely and opened his mouth to say something but must've thought better of it because instead, he turned his gaze to the window.  
They had been sitting like that for a few minutes, both boys deep in thought when the door burst open and Ron flew in with Hermione right behind them. They both looked flushed, as though they had been running.   
"Hello." Ron panted, having difficulty breathing. Neville guessed that Fred and George had caught up with them. He coughed on purpose to stop himself from laughing.  
Harry looked at Ron knowingly and then turned back to the window. Neville gazed at him. He really did look tired.  
"Well," said Neville finally, "I think I'll go take a walk to stretch my legs as well." With that, he got up and walked out of the compartment. He needed to be alone and think right now.  
As he walked down the corridor, Neville kept thinking about what he had seen on the platform earlier that day. He still couldn't believe it! And his letter to Hannah! He must have sounded like such an idiot telling her he loved her!  
He was so completely lost in his own thoughts that he didn't see someone else coming down the corridor apparently lost in thought as well. They didn't notice eachother until it was too late.  
"Oh, sorry!" said Neville as he scrambled to his feet.  
"No, no," replied a girl's voice; "It was my fau-" she broke off seeing who she had bumped into.  
Neville looked up and realized why she had stopped in mid-sentence. He was looking into the face of Hannah Abbot.  
"Hannah." Neville said, blushing scarlet.  
"Neville." She replied, blushing just as much as he did.  
"What are you doing here?" They both asked at the same time.  
Neville laughed. Hannah smiled, but then looked away embarrassed.  
"I was just thinking." Said Neville looking at Hannah intently. Now that he was talking to her, he was determined to ask her why she hadn't answered any of his letters. He knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it from her. "You?" he asked.  
"I was thinking too." Hannah replied.  
"Oh? What about?"   
Hannah was silent for a moment. She then looked at Neville, determination in her eyes and answered in a voice that was almost a whisper, "You."  
Neville didn't know what to say to this, so he simply kept on looking at his best friend.  
Hannah suddenly realized that Neville's wrist was bandaged.   
"Oh Neville!" she cried, "what happened to you?" She rushed forward, took his hand intently I her own and looked at it with a look of intense worry on her face, which made him hate Great Uncle Algie for making him sprain his wrist and cause Hannah to worry about anything.  
"It's nothing. It's just Great Uncle Algie."  
"Oh did he come to visit this summer?" she asked disapprovingly.  
"I wish! Great Auntie Enid finally had the sense to kick him out of the house, the only problem being, she kicked him straight into ours." Neville chuckled and Hannah laughed a little making Neville's heart feel light. To make Hannah laugh was one of his favorite things. But it couldn't last. Neville knew he had to ask her sometime.  
"Hannah," he began, "why didn't you answer any of my letters this summer?"  
Hannah looked away, embarrassed again.  
"Well?"  
"Neville, " she said uneasily, "Neville, I couldn't."  
"Why?"  
"I..." her voice trailed off into silence.  
Neville steadied his voice. "You met someone else. Didn't you?"  
Hannah turned back to look at him, her eyes wide. "No! What gave you that idea?"  
"Well," Neville said deciding to tell her about what he had seen earlier that day, "I saw you with that dark haired boy back on the platform."  
To his utter surprise, Hannah laughed. "Who? Jeffery? Neville, he's my cousin! He goes to a different school and doesn't start till tomorrow so he came to see me off!" She continued giggling.  
Neville had never felt so relieved in his life, but the thing was, if she hadn't met someone else over the summer, then he still didn't know why Hannah hadn't answered his letters.  
"Oh. I thought..." he stopped. She knew what he'd thought. "Then really, why didn't you write me back all summer?"  
Hannah stopped giggling and looked away again.  
Neville felt he had committed a crime, making her stop laughing, but he needed to know.  
"Neville," Hannah began, "I couldn't write to you because I was..." she swallowed, "I was scared."  
Whatever Neville had been expecting, this wasn't it. "Scared? Of what?"  
Hannah fixed her gaze on Neville's eyes and Neville peered into hers. "I was scared of losing you as a friend. When you wrote me and told me that you were falling in love with me, I couldn't believe it! I was so happy, but then I realized what it meant. That things would never be the same again because, Neville, I've fallen in love with you too."  
Neville stood peering into her eyes. He felt he would faint. She'd fallen in love with him.  
"But Neville," she continued, "I want you to know that I'm not scared anymore."  
Neville suddenly realized how close they were, his hand in hers, their faces inches apart. He swallowed hard.  
"Hannah I..." Neville began, as they leaned towards eachother.  
"Yes?" Hannah answered breathlessly.  
"I love you." He whispered.  
"I love you too." She whispered back.  
They leaned towards eachother and they were so close when-  
"Oi! Fred! Where's Katie's compartment?"  
Neville and Hannah broke apart just in time as George bounded through the corridor. He stopped abruptly when Neville and Hannah, both looking incredibly flushed.  
"Sorry? Am I interrupting something?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and beginning to smile in a way Neville didn't like at all.  
"George wait up!" Fred bounded down the corridor after his twin. He too stopped abruptly when he spotted Neville and Hannah. "What's going on?" He glanced at George and saw his smile. "Ooohhh, I see." He said in an understanding tone. "We're interrupting something, aren't we?" He too smiled wickedly.  
"No!" said Neville and Hannah at the same time.  
"Yeah, right." Replied George, exchanging another glance with Fred. "Well, we'll just be going now, but don't get too cozy, we're almost at school." Neville felt himself blush furiously.  
The twins walked off, sending incredibly annoying "knowing" looks towards him.  
"Well that went well." Neville said sarcastically.  
Hannah laughed.  
He just looked at her. She loved him. He couldn't believe it! The most wonderful girl in the world loved him, Neville. Clumsy, bungling, silly Neville.  
Hesitantly, Neville pushed a loose strand of hair behind Hannah's ear. She rested her cheek in his hand and looked at him adoringly. Her cheek was warm and he could feel her eyes looking straight into his soul. She knew him so well. He thought how lucky he that she was his best friend. He tilted her head up and leaned towards her again. They were only centimeters apart when the train lurched and began slowing down.  
Neville made a strangled noise of frustration in his throat, and Hannah sighed. "I guess we aren't going to be given a chance today." She said.  
"Yeah." Replied Neville longingly, "Just our luck."  
"Oh well. We'll just have to find some time for ourselves once school starts." Hannah added sounding disappointed.  
Neville looked into her eyes again and said, "I love you Hannah." He was so happy to be saying it out loud.  
Hannah blushed. "I love you too Neville." She said.  
The train slowed to a stop.  
"I'd better go, I still have to change." Neville turned to leave but not before giving Hannah a quick kiss on the cheek. "Bye."  
Hannah turned to leave as well. "Good-bye."  
  
As Neville climbed the stairs to his dormitory, much, much later, he kept thinking about what had happened on the train. He couldn't stop grinning and he felt like he was going to implode. All his worrying had been for nothing. Hannah loved him. It was the best feeling in the world.  
He opened the dormitory door to find Harry teasing a very red-eared Ron Weasley. Neville didn't know what it was about for sure but he had a feeling Harry had finally let Ron know that he knew about him and Hermione. Neville didn't pay them any attention. He slipped into his pajamas and snuggled under his covers.  
That night was the first goodnight's sleep Neville'd had in a long time.  
  
  
  
  
A.N:) I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Please r/r. I think after staying up all night writing it that I deserve at least a couple of comments. (Breaks down crying from exhaustion.)   



	5. Suicidal Neville...

Disclaimer: All characters, places etc. etc. belong to the brilliant mastermind J.K. Rowling. Anyone who thinks otherwise, will have to answer to me... MWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!   
  
A.N:) Sorry if I scared anyone... haha * grins sheepishly * Look, I'm really really sorry that it's taken me so long to update, I wrote the chapter a while ago, it's just that I hate typing! I'm really slow... and I had a good idea for this other story so I had to write it and post it. If you like the way I write, then you should definitely check it out, and please r/r on this chapter and on my other story. And so without further ado, I present you all with-   
  
Chapter 5:   
  
"Longbottom! What on Earth do you think you're doing?!"   
Neville jumped and then froze as Snape's voice came from behind him.   
  
That morning, over breakfast, they had received their class schedules and Neville had groaned when he saw that the first class of the year would be Potions. He wasn't the only one either, but amazingly, this year for the first time, they were going to be paired with the Hufflepuffs and not with the Slytherins! Though, while everyone else was ecstatic with this new arrangement, Neville was only moderately happy. True, last year he would have been dancing on the tables, but now... He would be making a complete fool of himself in front of Hannah all year long. And besides, they still weren't rid of the Slytherins. They now had Herbology with them and they still had Care of Magical Creatures together as well.   
  
Neville looked over at Hannah who was sitting at the other side of the dungeon. She had stopped cutting her Flobberworms and was looking in Snape's direction with a stern expression on her face.   
"It seems that Longbottom has once again managed to spectacularly bungle his entire potion." Snape said silkily as he looked down his hooked nose at Neville.   
Neville, on his part, had begun to shake so much that he barely managed to look back at him.   
"Not only did he show up for class completely unprepared, but he has decided to display the fact that he is utterly brainless only ten minutes into the lesson." Snape snarled and gave Neville a look that made him want to curl up and die.   
"Ten points from Gryffindor for being a useless idiot!" Snape walked away, leaving Neville trembling from head to toe.   
Neville looked over at Hannah again and saw that she was staring at him, mouth open in shock. He blushed so hard that he thought his face would catch fire.   
Distracted, he returned to his Concentration Concoction and tried to figure out just what he had done wrong.   
Snape continued to prowl through the dungeon, passing snide remarks at many Hufflepuffs and at all the Gryffindors. Neville looked up just in time to see him stop in front of Hannah and look down at her with distaste. Hannah stopped working to look back at Snape nervously.   
"Miss Abbot," he started. Blood began pounding in Neville's ears. If he insulted Hannah...   
"I would advise you to kindly come to class with something more in your head besides for air. You seem to have allowed the summer to empty it out completely. Not as though there was all that much in there in the first place..." Snape broke off icily.   
Neville watched, a funny ringing in his ears, as Hannah turned a nasty shade of crimson and looked at the floor, humiliated. He was shaking, though this time, not with fear but with anger. Before he knew what he was doing, he got abruptly to his feet, knocking his stool to the floor. Everyone turned to look at him in wonder. Neville had never stood up to Snape or indeed any teacher before, but now, he was glaring at the Potion's Master, cold fury dancing in his eyes.   
"Longbottom," Snape sneered, "Is there something you want to say to me?" His voice was low, almost a growl. He was taunting him, daring him to make the move that would be his last.   
Neville knew he'd be an idiot to continue but, being as Snape had already called him one countless times, he might as well make it true.   
"What did she do?" he said, his voice unsteady with anger; "Huh?! What did I ever do? Maybe if you didn't keep breathing down our necks, then we could get through a potion without making any mistakes! Or don't you want your students to pass? Maybe, you just want to be known as the teacher who flunks every single student who comes his way, except of course for your precious Slytherins!!!" Neville screamed the last word in indignation, finally letting loose these feelings he'd had for so long. But the entire while, a voice in the back of his head was saying "What in Gryffindor's name are you doing!? Are you suicidal? Do you have an unfulfilled death-wish? He's going to kill you!"   
Snape froze at this outburst from Neville and he actually seemed to be in shock. But he soon recovered and said icily into the utter silence that now reigned in the dungeon, "Detention Longbottom, and seventy points from Gryffindor."   
Every student gasped unbelievingly, and there were many curses muttered under breaths, including a few very colorful ones from Ron. But many of them noticed that Snape hadn't said this with his usual relish. Could it be that Neville had actually touched a nerve? Was there possibly anything that Snape was sensitive about? They quickly decided against it and figured that he was just being his usual vindictive self.   
Neville fumed as he picked up his stool and slammed it on the floor upright, indeed, he was fuming almost as much as his potion, which had now turned an ugly shade of brown-green and was on the verge of bubbling over. He spent the rest of the class sending concerned looks towards Hannah who, in return, would send him her most radiant smile each time, grinning from ear to ear. This calmed him down very much.   
However, throughout the entire lesson, that voice in the back of his head had been getting louder and louder so that by the time the bell rang, Neville gathered his things and practically flew from the dungeon, terrified that Snape might find some way to keep him down there so that he could murder him when there were no witnesses. He had almost reached the top of the stairs when someone called him from behind.   
"Neville! Wait for me!"   
Neville turned around to see Hannah running up the stairs towards him. She was smiling. "Neville, I can't believe you just did that! I mean, we both know how afraid you are of Snape!"   
"I know." Replied Neville; "I can't believe it either. But he really went overboard this time. He was insulting you! I guess I just couldn't take it anymore. I burst!"   
"Oh Neville!" Hannah stopped him and kissed him on the nose. Neville blushed profusely.   
"You are the best friend anyone could ever ask for. I don't know what I would do without you!" she continued and hugged him.   
Neville put his arms around her waist and held her, enjoying for the moment the smell of her hair and the sound of her breathing next to his ear. He sighed contentedly, forgetting for the moment that they were standing in the middle of a frequently used corridor in Hogwarts. He was reminded a second later.   
Someone cleared their throat.   
"Ahem."   
Neville quickly let go of Hannah who looked as red as he felt and turned to see who had interrupted them (yet again...)   
Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas were standing there wearing looks torn between amusement and wonder at the sight of a girl hugging Neville.   
Dean spoke first. "Sorry to break up this Kodak moment,"   
"What's Kodak" thought Neville.   
"But we're due in Transfiguration." He finished, smirking.   
Neville turned back to Hannah who was still blushing. "She's so pretty like that." He thought to himself. Then, in a quiet voice so that Dean and Seamus couldn't hear, he said, "I'll see you later and then maybe we could spend some time together without interruptions, ok?"   
"Fine." Hannah replied, finally turning back to her usual color, and she walked away towards the Charms corridor.   
"So, Neville, what happened to you over the summer?!" Seamus was grinning as he steered Neville away. "I mean, who would have ever thought that you would stand up to Snape?"   
"Yeah." Dean agreed, amazedly.   
"And what's up with Neville getting a girlfriend?" Seamus asked Dean in a disbelieving way.   
Neville, who was already at the end of his rope after the incident with Snape, and was really annoyed that someone had interrupted him and Hannah yet again, found himself yelling at the two of boys. "Just stop it already! Stop teasing me! I'm really quite sick of it!"   
"Whoa! Calm down eh? We just wanted to congratulate you on your fine taste in girls!" Seamus said in his defense, but he only managed in getting Neville even more upset at them.   
Hannah was not just a girl.   
"Wha-? Oh, shut up!" Neville rolled his eyes and stormed off down the corridor, leaving Dean and Seamus standing there wondering very much what on Earth had gotten into Neville?   
  
  
A.N:) Well that's it, chapter five. I know, it's a bit short, but I was going for quality not quantity, and I believe that this chapter got it's message through, so please review. I hope everyone enjoyed and laughed a bit. My friends did when I read this to them. My friend Ginny (not her real name) is still in shock that Neville yells at Snape, but he finally reached the bursting point. Anyway, Snape has had it coming for a looooong time... Till next time:)


	6. The Rush Before the Fall

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Harry Potter, but what can I do? It all belongs to the extremely talented J.K. Rowling.  
  
A.N:) Hi! How are you all? I'm fine, tired but fine. I had a stupid math test recently, so that's basically why it took me so long to write the sixth chapter. It might take me a while to write the seventh one as well because I have a huge biology test coming up which I can not afford to fail.  
Enough about depressing subjects. I want to say that this chapter is dedicated to Ginny and Hermione. Hermione, for reminding me to write every time she saw me, being as she was in suspense. Ginny because she begged me to mention that Harry and Ginny were together so I kindly obliged. I hope they enjoy but I hope all of you readers enjoy even more!!!  
  
  
Chapter six:  
  
Over the next few weeks, Neville never knew what mysterious force kept interrupting him and Hannah.  
This was the usual run of things:  
Neville and Hannah would finally find time to themselves and slip away to the lake, library, empty classroom, whatever. But no matter if they were talking or just walking hand in hand, someone- teacher, student, ghost or Fred and George (whom Neville considered an entity in themselves) would always suddenly appear before they could get any further.  
Neville was positive that he was on the verge of insanity.   
Seriously! They had already said they loved eachother and they hadn't even kissed yet!  
But besides for that, things were very different for Neville since he'd come back to Hogwarts.  
First of all, since the whole school had heard about the Neville-Snape incident, he noticed that more people had been greeting him in the corridors and talking to him. He'd become quite popular. But Neville was having a hard time with all of this sudden attention. He was a lot more self-conscious than he usually was and he wasn't sure he liked it all that much. To tell the truth, Neville felt that it had been much easier when he hadn't had to constantly make sure that he wasn't doing something stupid.  
Another strange thing- Harry had started spending a lot more time with him. Not that he had ignored him before, he just hadn't been around that much and when he was, he spent all of his spare time with Ron and Hermione. But lately, Harry invited Neville to go with him to the library and talk to him in the common room or play chess, which Neville was actually pretty good at. (His grandmother had been an excellent chess player in her day and had taught Neville everything she knew.) At many times, it seemed that Harry wanted to talk about something in particular but always thought better of it in the end. So they ended up talking about quidditch, teachers and ever so often they touched upon what they thought was going on outside in the wizarding world. Harry seemed to think Neville's opinion of greatest importance in this matter. Of course, Neville had quite a dark past because of Voldemort, but there was no way that Harry could possibly know about his parents.  
But the strangest thing of all happened about two weeks after he got back to school.  
He had been on his way to lunch when he passed by the History of Magic classroom and someone called him from inside.  
"Psst! Neville!"  
Curious, Neville peeked inside to find Lavender Brown sitting on one of the desks, pink and out of breath from trying to contain her giggling.  
"Lavender!" Neville said in surprise, "What do you want?"  
"Hi Neville. How are you?" Lavender slid off the desk and came towards him.  
"I'm fine." He said, bewildered. What did she want?  
Lavender walked around him, surveying him, still giggling softly. It was unnerving.  
"Neville," she began, "You know, I never really paid any attention to you before. You were this short pudgy kid, always in everybody's way."  
"Hey!" Neville protested.  
"Oh, no offense," Lavender continued, "I just meant that no one ever really noticed you before. But now..." she looked him up and down and giggled again, "Neville, you really grew up over the summer."  
Neville had absolutely no idea what she was talking about but nonetheless, her talk was starting to make him very uncomfortable.  
"Um, Lavender? I'm really hungry and I was on my way to lunch, so if you don't mind, could I go now?" He said in a very tiny voice.  
"Neville! What I'm trying to say is that I think you're cut, and after that whole Snape thing, I mean, wow!"  
"Please, don't remind me!" Neville winced as he remembered for about the fifth time that day exactly what he'd yelled at the Potion's Master and the six hours he'd had to spend cleaning every bathroom in the school including the hospital bedpans with both Snape and Filch breathing down his neck as punishment.   
"That's not the point." Lavender waved her hand as if to push Neville's thoughts away, "The point is that I'm trying to ask you if you would like to spend the next Hogsmeade visit with me?" She gave Neville a piercing stare. He shuffled his feet awkwardly, but actually, he was surprised. Lavender was considered one of the prettiest girls of the year (besides for the Patil twins) and here she stood asking him from all people if he would go out with her! But his surprise did not keep out a new sensation that he had never felt before. It was a mixture of feeling bad that he would have to turn her down, guilt at having this sort of conversation with anyone but Hannah and being flattered that a popular girl actually wanted to go out with him. Truth be told, Neville wouldn't have agreed to go even if he hadn't already been with Hannah, he didn't really like Lavender that much, but he wasn't about to tell her that. The question now was what he should tell her. Lavender was looking at him expectantly and he shuffled his feet again. Well, he didn't really want the whole school to know what was going on between him and Hannah (not that there was that much, thanks to circumstances!) but telling her would be the equivalent of telling everyone, for Lavender was known for her love of gossip. He decided to stall for time somehow.  
"What? You want to go out with me?" He said.  
"Yes you silly. Actually, I have to admit, that talk in the Gryffindor girl's dorms has been mostly about you and how much you've, er, changed." Lavender resumed her giggling and Neville sincerely wished she would stop, as he blushed pink with embarrassment. His mind worked furiously at what to answer her.  
"Well, um, Lavender, the thing is, er, I'm sorry to tell you this but, uh..." He blushed again as he heard how stupid he sounded. "I've got a girlfriend." There. He'd said it. The world would know in an hour's time, but there had been nothing for it.  
"Lavender's eyes grew wide with surprise for a moment but then she looked down at the floor and muttered darkly to herself, "Of course, I should've known. Stupid Parvati, telling me to go ahead and ask you and now I've made a total fool of myself. I'll kill her."  
It was now Neville's turn to be surprised. He had managed to turn Lavender from being firm and straightforward to being shy and embarrassed in two seconds. How had he done it? He immediately felt horrible and tried to salvage the situation in any way he could.  
"Lavender, don't worry. Actually, I'm quite flattered, no, incredibly flattered that you asked me." Lavender looked up at him and he continued, not believing what he was about to tell her, "You know, I never thought there was a chance of even one girl liking me, because I've always been such a bungling idiot." Neville held his breath. He didn't usually lay out his fears to anyone who wasn't extremely close to him, but he hated hurting peoples feelings and he was willing to do almost anything to keep from hurting Lavender's now. (A.N:) ISN'T HE THE SWEETEST??!!)  
"Neville!" Lavender exclaimed wonderingly, "Why ever would you think that?"  
"I don't know. That's just how it's always been." He shrugged and sighed a sigh of relief. He seemed to be making Lavender feel better anyway.  
"Lavender, don't feel bad, ok? And don't worry, you didn't make a fool of yourself. Believe me, I should know, considering the amount of times a day I fall down the stairs and turn myself into a pile of rubbish."  
Lavender laughed and smiled. "Alright."  
"Good. Now, can we go down to the Great Hall for lunch? I wasn't lying, I really am hungry." And as if in agreement, Neville's stomach growled loudly, causing Lavender to burst into giggles as she walked out the door. She contained herself just long enough to ask, "So Neville, who is the lucky girl?"  
Neville groaned and led her down the corridor.  
  
That had been three days ago and since then everyone had discovered the fact that Neville had a girlfriend although who the "poor" girl was (according to the fifth year Gryffindor boys) still remained a mystery. That is, until the gossip reached the ears of one Fred Weasley who so kindly mentioned it to his brother, a Mr. George Weasley.   
Things went downhill for Neville from there.  
Owing to the unnatural amount of times Fred and George had walked in on him and Hannah, they had quite a few juicy tidbits to dish out.   
Eventually, needing someone to turn to besides for Hannah, Neville had confided in Harry, surprising even himself by telling him the entire ordeal. Apparently, Neville had never realized how much he needed a guy's perspective on things, and besides, Neville knew he had a lot in common with Harry even if Harry didn't know it. On top of everything, Harry had finally found some girl who'd take him. ;) It was now common knowledge that Ginny Weasley was spoken for by the Gryffindor Quidditch Team's seeker and new captain. They'd been together since the summer and Harry seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. Neville supposed that Harry and Ginny managed to find time for themselves (though how that was possible was a complete mystery to him.) Harry was very understanding, and told him to try and ignore everyone. That was what he always did. But he couldn't help pointing out how grateful he was that Neville had taken the spotlight off of him and Ginny for a while.  
"Glad I'm useful to someone." Neville had replied acidly.  
Harry had just laughed and invited him to a game of chess, which Neville had won spectacularly, leaving Harry staring, baffled, at the chessboard.  
  
The next morning, Neville was on his way to breakfast alone (Harry had gotten up much earlier and was at quidditch practice) when Professor McGonnagal spotted him and called him to her. She seemed very worried and her eyes were bloodshot. Neville looked at her apprehensively, wondering if he'd done something wrong.  
"Yes Professor?" He asked her.  
"Neville, I don't know how... I mean, I have to tell you..." McGonnagal trailed off nervously.  
Fear gripped Neville and he felt the ground sway beneath his feet.  
"Professor, what is it?" There was a note of panic in his voice now, as well as desperation. These types of things had been happening all year since Voldemort had come back, the teachers always wore the same expression. Students finding out that someone they loved was... No. Everything was fine, Neville reassured himself.   
"Neville," McGonnagal took a deep breath, "You'd better come with me."  
Neville was shaking as she led him down the corridor to her office.  
"Sit down." She said gently once inside, as she placed herself behind her desk. Neville sat, aware that his heart was beating so fast that he thought it would jump out of his chest, and he was clenching his fists in fear, his nails digging into his skin.  
"Neville, I received a letter last night informing me,"   
He held his breath.  
"It's your grandmother." McGonnagal's voice was strained.  
"What?" Neville breathed, "No. Don't tell me she's..."  
"No. She's not dead. She suffered a heart attack last night. She's alive, but barely." McGonnagal looked at the floor, or at least, Neville thought she did. It was simply too much for him and he found himself falling... falling... falling...  
And then, everything went black.  
  
  
  
To be continued. 


	7. Recalled to Life

Chapter 7:  
  
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter series and everything in it belongs to J.K. Maybe one day, I'll be lucky enough to have people write disclaimers about something I wrote, but that's a long way off...  
  
A.N:) This chapter is very serious. When we left Neville at the end of chapter 6, he had just found out that his grandmother suffered a heart attack. It was just too much for him. Poor   
Neville, his life has been so hard. Will things ever turn out ok?  
Oh, and one more thing... FLASHBACKS ARE BACK!!!  
  
  
"Neville... Neville" his grandmother's voice whispered through the trees.  
Neville was standing in the middle of an enormous forest (though he had no idea how he had gotten there). He was staring wildly around, looking for the source of the voice.  
"Gran!" he shouted, his shouts echoing back to him. "Gran! Where are you?!" He spun around frantically, not knowing which way to turn.  
"Neville..." The whisper came again, barely more than a rustling of leaves. "Goodbye Neville..."  
"No!" he shouted, "No! Gran you can't leave me, I don't know what to do!"  
"Goodbye..."  
  
"No!"  
Neville sat bolt upright in bed, drenched in cold sweat. He was breathing hard and his heart was beating so fast, he thought it would jump right out of his chest. It took him a moment to figure out where he was. -The hospital wing. But why?  
And then, he remembered.  
"Gran, no." he said softly to himself. He lay back in bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to take it all in. His grandmother had suffered a heart attack. HIS grandmother, the woman who thought Floo Powder was too dangerous. She was lying somewhere now, hurt, and where was he? He'd passed out. So much for the courageous Neville, who yelled at Snape and got asked out to Hogsmeade by girls. When his grandmother had really needed him what had he done? He'd fainted.  
Neville eyes stung with tears and his throat tightened up.  
"So now I'm going to cry?" he said acidly to himself.  
He tried to stop the tears but found that he couldn't...  
  
  
  
The rain was falling in icy sheets around Neville where he stood looking down at a stone that said  
Lewis Larence Longbottom  
Loving Brother, Husband,  
Father, Grandfather  
1913-1989  
R.I.P.  
  
His head swam with emotions. Loss, fear, grief... and something Neville couldn't quite understand. His eyes stung with tears, tears of anger. How could he have left him? Neville had trusted his him.  
His grandfather who'd always been there. His grandfather who tucked him in at night, who told him stories when he was sad. Who would make him waffles with chocolate chips? Who would run into his room at night after he'd had a nightmare? Who would teach him about Quidditch and broomsticks?  
Neville swiped at the tears in his eyes. He shouldn't cry. Boys don't cry.  
His grandmother, who'd been standing silently away from everyone, walked over to him. She was dressed in black and looked pale and weak and her eyes were red and puffy.  
"Gran," Neville croaked, "Gran, he's really gone." He still couldn't believe it.   
"I know Neville." She began to cry, "I know." She bent down and hugged him.  
Neville felt the tears in his eyes again but held back once more.  
"Neville," whispered his grandmother, "It's alright to cry you know."  
He breathed a shuddering sigh of relief and then let everything out, sobbing into his grandmother's shoulder. He cried that day as if shedding the tears of everyone who'd ever lost someone they loved...  
  
  
  
Neville didn't know how long he lay in his bed, tears falling free. He cried himself to exhaustion, finally falling asleep towards morning.  
But sleep didn't bring him rest or peace, no. Sleep only brought more nightmares. He dreamed of being completely alone, cowering in fear from a shadow that followed him everywhere he went. He no longer had anyone to protect him, and why? Because he'd failed them all.  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
His head was pounding. Why did the sun have to be so bright?  
Neville opened his eyes to find the hospital wing ablaze with the afternoon sun. He could hear Madame Pomfrey bustling around down the corridor. He knew Madame Pomfrey well, considering the amount of times he'd injured himself during his stay at Hogwarts. He'd liked her since the first time he'd visited there, having been covered in boils in Potions. The memory still made him wince.  
What had been the point? Had his grandmother sent him to Hogwarts to become a laughing stock? No, but that's what he'd become. He'd let her down, he wasn't good at anything, and while he'd been off, making mistakes, he'd missed being there for her.  
"Gran." he sighed.  
He closed his eyes again, trying to sleep, to try and escape the ever-present nightmare that haunted him in waking life, forgetting for a moment, that the nightmares haunted his dreams as well. "But," he thought bitterly to himself, not succeeding to slip off, "when do things ever   
go right for me?"  
Madame Pomfrey bustled over to him.  
"Oh, Neville. Good, you're awake." She said and proceeded in checking his pulse and taking his temperature. When she finished, she sat down next to him and looked into his eyes.  
Neville thought he saw something strange in them. What was it?  
"Neville, I heard about you're grandmother. I'm so sorry."   
Neville suddenly realized what it was. Pity. It was pity.  
He didn't say anything; he just looked at the ceiling. He didn't trust himself to speak. He didn't feel like talking either.  
"Neville," Madame Pomfrey continued, "you should go outside and take a walk, get some fresh air. You could still come back and sleep here tonight if you don't feel like going back to your dormitory."  
Neville continued to stare at the ceiling.  
"Please," she pleaded with him; "you can't just lay here all day!"  
Neville sighed and shut his eyes, ending the discussion. He heard Madame Pomfrey get up and leave. He'd probably offended her. He wasn't sorry. Actually, he found he just didn't care. He couldn't care anymore.  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
After a day and a night of nightmares plaguing his dreams and robbing him of his rest, Neville lay silently crying, looking back on everything that had ever happened to him.  
How had his life turned into a life not worth living?  
Why was everything so unfair? He'd grown up, watching other kids play with their parents, laughing and smiling. He didn't have any parents. At least, not in any way that counted.  
"It would have been better if they had died." He said softly to himself, and once again, sank away into despair's nightmares.  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
Neville had lost all concept of time, falling deeper and deeper into a bottomless pool, filled with every bad memory he had. And he had so many. The good in his life was drowned by darkness and he couldn't see it at all. An entire week had passed since he'd fainted in Professor McGonnagal's study and he didn't know, and didn't care. No one came to visit him (Madame Pomfrey had forbidden it) but Neville didn't even seem to notice. He tormented himself, thinking of all the ways in which he had let his grandmother down, and all the things that made his life so pathetic, so that by the end of the week, he'd forgotten who he used to be, and saw only what he thought his past had made of him- a sorry excuse for a grandson, and nothing more than a brainless coward.  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
His grandfather's death. His first meeting with his parents (and every one after). People laughing at him at every turn. Cedric's death and now, his grandmother's heart attack. The scenes kept playing themselves over and over in his mind. He tossed and turned in his sleep, sweating and breathing hard. He was standing in the middle of a tornado, almost blown away, and then, out of the darkness; two gleaming red eyes laughed at him. They'd finally spotted him, and he couldn't hide.  
He started awake with a gasp, trembling.  
"No...no..." he sobbed and began rocking back and forth, muttering to himself. "He found me... he found me..." his terror was so strong, it was almost tangible.   
He didn't sleep again that night. He lay awake in bed, listening to the silence while seeing those eyes over and over again in his mind.  
The silence was broken at about 3:00 am when the doorway at the end of the corridor opened and Professor McGonnagal walked in.  
Neville pretended to be asleep as he watched Madame Pomfrey come out of her office to talk to her.  
"Minerva, what are you doing here so late?" asked the sleepy nurse.  
"I'm sorry, Poppy. I couldn't sleep. I'm terribly concerned about Longbottom's condition. He shouldn't have been here so long. It's been a week and even Professor Dumbledore is starting to worry." Professor McGonnagal's voice sounded tense but not as tense as Madame Pomfrey's when she replied.  
"Minerva, his case is incredibly serious. The poor boy. He was always so strong, but there is only so much someone can take before they collapse under the weight, and Neville has taken more than most of us."  
Neville couldn't believe his ears. Strong? Him? He almost laughed out loud at how misled they were. And he hadn't been there a week, had he? He shrugged to himself. It didn't matter.  
McGonnagal sighed. "What did he ever do to deserve these things?"  
"What did any of us ever do" Madame Pomfrey wondered.  
"Poppy, isn't there anything we can do?"  
"I'm afraid not, Minerva. Neville's recovery is completely up to him; he has to do it on his own. That's the reason I haven't been letting anyone in to see him. You see, all he needs is to remember one good thing about his life, one good memory, to give him hope, for hope is the only true medicine for despair. Otherwise," Madame Pomfrey sighed, "we may never know the same Neville again. I doubt very much if he even knows himself anymore."  
There was a pause, and Neville could feel their eyes watching him.  
"Go to sleep Minerva. There's nothing you can do."  
Neville heard McGonnagal leave and Madame Pomfrey go back to sleep in her room.  
  
He lay there, thinking about everything he had just heard. What had Madame Pomfrey been talking about? What good things did he have in his life that could possibly turn him from the edge? Because that's where he was standing, on the edge of a great abyss centimeters from falling. He would fall if he didn't turn back; he felt it with every breath he took.  
And then, he remembered, as though from a far off dream of years before. There was a light in the back of his mind. It had been there all along, begging him to notice it, and now he finally had. There was hope.  
"Hannah." He sighed, and with that, he felt a dagger pulled from his heart, a weight lifted out of his soul. The poison that fogged his mind cleared and he breathed as if never having breathed before. How could he have forgotten? And more, how could he have not realized? He had said he loved her, but he had never truly understood until that moment what love really was. This was. Being able to wrap himself in her memory and feel utterly safe. Just her memory, soothing his fear, relieving him of pain and releasing his mind of the nightmares that never gave him rest. She was a part of him and had been all along. And so, feeling the peace of mind that he hadn't felt since his grandfather had died, he finally, gratefully, drifted off into a dreamless sleep...  
  
To be continued.  
  
  
A.N:) I would like to take this opportunity to say a couple of things  
Neville's grandmother did NOT die. She's just very very sick.  
I wanted to say that I think Neville is one of the most complex characters in "Harry Potter" that being the reason I chose to write story about him. Nobody seems to realize that he is capable of so much, and can go so many different ways, he just has to be given the chance. 


	8. She needed me?

Chapter 8:  
  
Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling. (Dang! I wish I knew how to do funny disclaimers...)  
  
A.N:) My disclaimers aren't funny, so why should my author's note be any different??? Food for thought... I'm bored. I'm facing another long and boring typing session, Help. In addition, I'm sick. :( *Sigh* Well here's chapter 8 and I hope no one yells at me for being so late. Have mercy, I don't feel good.  
  
Madame Pomfrey awoke the following morning and prepared to take Neville's daily dose of medicine to him. She didn't see how it could possibly help him, it was hopeless, which just went to show how desperate Neville's condition had become because Madame Pomfrey never lost hope. Imagine her surprise when she found Neville's bed empty. Looking around, panicking for a moment, she found him sitting next to the window at the end of the corridor, fully dressed, looking out onto the grounds.   
As Neville heard her approach, he turned to face her and smiled.  
"I'm ready to go now Madame Pomfrey."  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
"Password?"   
Neville looked up, startled. He hadn't realized he'd already reached Gryffindor Tower. He panicked, what was the password? He'd probably forgotten it, it had been a week after all. But, wait a minute, he did remember!  
"That's a first." He muttered to himself.  
"Ahem! I said: Password?" The Fat Lady was getting annoyed.  
"Oh, sorry. Flopperwhopasquiggles."   
The portrait swung open to admit him. He climbed through into the common room and looked around. It was so familiar yet it felt to him as though it had been months since he'd been there, not just a week. He was just puzzling where everybody was when he heard footsteps on the stairway to the boy's dormitories. He turned around just as Harry and Ron came walking down. They stopped dead when they saw him.   
"Neville!" Ron shouted and jumped down the last four steps to run and shake his hand. Harry followed suit, but more carefully.  
"Hi Ron, Harry." Neville smiled at them both, "Where is everybody?"  
Harry was watching him with a pained look on his face. "They're all at the Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw quidditch match.  
Ron laughed, "We're late as you can see."  
Harry glared at Ron furiously. "Well we wouldn't be if someone hadn't spilled pumpkin juice all over me after jumping 5 feet in the air when his brothers put a dumb spider in his porridge!" Harry was fuming.  
Ron looked at the floor sheepishly. "It was an accident," He said, "you know I hate spiders."  
"Yeah, live ones! Not only was that spider NOT alive, it was made of rubber!"  
"Alright, alright. Don't lose your shirt! (A.N:) Actually, I wouldn't mind if he did...) I'm sorry!"  
"Fine!"  
"Fine!"  
Neville watched this exchange wordlessly, smiling. It was good to be back.  
Harry looked at Neville, his expression sobering. "Neville, I don't know what happened, but are you going to be alright?"  
"Yeah," Neville replied finding it true, "I'll be fine."  
  
  
Neville was still very weak so he stayed behind while Harry and Ron went off to the match. He climbed the stairs to his dormitory and pushed the heavy wooden door open with some difficulty.  
He stood in the doorway, looking around at the comfortable four-posters and then walked over to the basin of water to wash the remnants of sleep from his eyes. He splashed water on his face and then looked up into the mirror- and nearly cried out in shock.  
That, that wasn't him in the mirror, was it? It couldn't be!  
But it was.  
"What happened to me?" Neville whispered. He raised his hands to his face, as if to make sure it was him.  
His face was thin and his skin sagging. He had black circles under his eyes, which were bloodshot and tired as well. They looked lifeless and dim and his eyelids were swollen from crying so much. This was what the past week had done to him.  
"No." Neville told himself firmly. "This is what I did to myself."  
He made a decision then. It wasn't his fault, any of it! And he should stop torturing himself. Not only that, but he was going to try extra hard from now on not to be so incredibly helpless. He could do better in school if he tried- ok, maybe not Potions- but everything else, and he would!  
Feeling much better he changed his clothing and went back downstairs. He pushed open the portrait hole and left, walking towards the entrance hall.  
He was going to go to the quidditch match like everyone else and not sit around moping. He needed fresh air and exercise and he needed to be around PEOPLE! But most of all, he needed to see Hannah. He missed her so much and after his revelation the night before, he had to talk to her. He had to explain how he felt, explain his need of her. How was it he felt this way? Did wizards his age normally feel this way? For some reason he didn't think so. Wizards his age felt like he had in the beginning. He'd thought that was love, but now he knew that wasn't so and he had to see if Hannah felt the same way.  
While he was thinking this, he passed by one of the tower entrances and heard someone crying from inside. Neville stopped and peered curiously around the doorway. He knew it was none of his business, but he hated when people cried.  
It was a girl. She had her head down on her knees, so Neville couldn't see her face, but he'd know that hair from a mile away, it had always fascinated him, especially when it caught the sun.  
"Hannah? What's wrong?"  
The crying stopped abruptly and Hannah lifted her head. Her eyes widened as she looked up at Neville, then she sprang up and threw her arms around him.  
"Neville!" she cried unbelievingly, "I thought something dreadful would happen to you!" She began crying again. She let go of him and looked at his face. "I've never been so afraid in all of my life. When Madame Pomfrey wouldn't let me in to visit, I knew something was terribly wrong. And she wouldn't listen to me! I told her you needed me, I told her and she wouldn't listen, she didn't!" she put her head on his shoulder and continued to sob, shuddering.  
Neville stood with his arms around her, comforting her. He was in total shock. He couldn't believe his being ill had taken so great an affect on her, and he had been so selfish! That entire time only thinking about himself, about how much he'd messed up or how much he'd needed her. He'd never once given thought to the fact that perhaps, she had needed him too, and by the look of things, she had needed him. Neville wondered. Somebody needed him.  
It made Neville feel warm all over, just knowing that he was needed, it gave him a sense of responsibility, to take care of himself so that he'd always be there to take care of Hannah.  
"Hannah, shhh..." he said softly.  
She pulled away from him and dried her eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm being so silly."  
"No you're not! Don't think that."  
Hannah looked at Neville with her tear-streaked face and Neville didn't think he'd ever seen anyone so beautiful. The rest of the school could keep the Patil Twins and Lavender Brown. He had the truest beauty as his girlfriend.  
"Neville. What happened? Why were you in the hospital wing so long?" she implored.  
So Neville told her. He couldn't keep any secrets from her, not when he felt the way he did.  
He told her about McGonnagal calling him to her office, his grandmother, his memories, the crying, his bad dreams and worst of all, the red eyes.  
He shuddered for a moment and closed his own eyes. If he concentrated, he could still see them laughing at him clearly in his mind.  
"Go on." Hannah took Neville's hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze.  
Neville's eyes fluttered open and the eyes vanished. He looked up at her. She looked worried and frightened. In fact, she looked exactly like he'd felt all those nights, lost in nightmares, almost as if she was taking it away from him, sharing the burden so that it wouldn't be so heavy. He didn't want her to do that but now that he'd started, he had to finish.  
He told her about the loneliness and then about the conversation he'd heard between Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonnagal. He told her how he'd felt that nothing could save him and then, how he'd remembered.  
Neville stopped and looked at Hannah with shining eyes. Her mouth was slightly open.  
"Do you know what I remembered? Do you know what saved me?"  
Hannah looked at him, wide-eyed, and shook her head.  
Neville took her hand and drew her closer.  
"It was you." He whispered into her ear. Hannah gave a little cry and hugged him.  
"Neville, I love you so much! I don't know what I'd do without you!"  
"Hannah, I love you too, more than you know." He leaned back and looked at her, his brown eyes sparkling and smiling. "Do you want to go for a walk?"  
Hannah giggled and gave him a sly smile.  
"What?" Neville asked, surprised.  
"Well, actually, you shouldn't be here at all."  
"Why?"  
"Umm, I'm supposed to be doing a detention right now. Up in the owlry." Hannah pointed up the stairs.  
Neville looked around wonderingly and realized that they were indeed standing at the foot of the stairs that led to the owlry. How he'd gotten there, he didn't know as he'd been heading in the other direction when he'd set off. He turned his attention back to Hannah.  
"What happened?" he asked her curiously.  
"Well, the other day we were in Potions class, you know, while you were..."  
"Unavailable." Neville finished for her. "Go on."  
"Yes, well Snape started making stupid remarks about what blundering accident you must have done this time, to land yourself in the hospital wing for so long. Said he'd have to give you points when you came back for doing him such a favor." Hannah looked at Neville, and Neville saw a sparkle of mischief in her eyes.  
"Don't tell me!" he said.  
"Well, what would you have done? No, wait, we already know what you'd have done being as you've already done it!"  
Neville smiled peevishly at her. Hannah continued.  
"It seems you've had a bad influence on me, Mr. Longbottom. I got upset and told him to take his Sterilizing Solution, stuff it down his throat and shut up. He got a bit upset although I can't imagine why..." She attempted to look innocently bewildered, causing Neville to go into fits of laughter.   
When he'd calmed down he smiled at Hannah and wiped away the remainder of her tears with his thumb and asked, "When are you going to be done here?"  
"I don't know. In about two hours?"  
"Fine. Meet me at the lake in two and a half hours." He quickly kissed her cheek and left.  
He continued walking towards the Entrance Hall, sticking to his earlier plan. His stomach was doing flip-flops and he couldn't control his heartbeat. That moment by the owlry had been- well he'd never felt anything like it. They needed eachother, him and Hannah, and they'd be together, he'd make sure of it. All they needed was some privacy...  
  
A.N:) Well that's the end of chapter 8. I'm feeling a little better now, especially since I'm DONE TYPING!!!!!!!! *Sigh* I am happy. I think that the next chapter is going to be the last one but I'm not sure. This story was originally supposed to be only 4 chapters... ahem...  
Whatever.  
Will Hannah and Neville ever find time alone?  
Will Fred and George ever stop their teasing? (Not likely...)  
Will Marlena and John ever be together? (OOPS! Wrong story...)  
Tune in next time for "It'll Be OK". 


	9. Fate

Chapter 9:  
  
A.N:) Wow. You know, it's been a while since I've done this. Typing that is. I write everything in pen and then type it. I'm really sorry for how long it took me to write this chapter but it's the last one and I really didn't want to finish it. I'm going to miss writing this story so much. One day, I hope to be an author and this story has just helped me develop my writing skills and has furthered my imagination. It's a hard thing, to let go. This was really the first story I ever wrote. I've been working on it for five months. Around 50 hours of my life went to this. Listen to me, you'd think I'd won the Nobel Prize for literature. Yeah, like that's ever going to happen. Well, who knows? That is one of the morals of this story. Reach for the sky- everything's possible...  
  
Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to J.K. Rowling. Neville does too, but funnily, he's got a lot of me in there...  
  
  
"Stupid Giant Squid!" Neville muttered to himself as he stormed up to Gryffindor Tower three hours later. Though he was soaking wet, you could practically see the fumes coming out of his ears. "Why does everything have to happen to me?" He was incredibly annoyed and it wasn't hard to understand why.  
  
Hannah had met him, as planned, 2 1/2 hours later at the lake. She had found Neville sitting on a patch of grass next to a non-magic willow, staring out over the tranquil waters, deep in thought. He had been absentmindedly picking at the grass and Hannah thought that he looked much more mature than he had before he'd gotten sick.  
Neville, on his part, had been deep in thought. He'd been trying to find the courage to do what he was about to do.  
Truth be told, he'd been furious and greatly annoyed each time someone had interrupted them, but deep down, he'd always been just a little bit grateful. He'd never kissed a girl before and he was worried. Very worried. He didn't exactly know what to do. But this time, he wasn't as nervous as usual. He knew that Hannah didn't care that he didn't know what to do. Chances were (or at least Neville hoped so) that didn't know what to do either...  
Suddenly, someone covered his eyes from behind and he smiled.  
"Hi Hannah!" he said.  
"Oh!" Hannah cried in disappointment, "I'd been hoping that you wouldn't guess it was me."  
"Yes, I see what you mean," he began sarcastically, "I know at least a dozen other people that would sneak up on me the same way!" He laughed as Hannah pretended to be very offended.  
They had talked then, about everything and anything. He hadn't had a good talk like that with Hannah in a long time. She was still his beat friend and she listened to everything he had to say with patience and understanding.  
All those dreams in the hospital wing had brought his thoughts back to Voldemort. He had completely (or mostly) forgotten about him during the first month of school, in the stupor of being back and of trying to be with Hannah. His dreams had reminded him that the Dark Lord was still out there, getting stronger each day. Hannah knew that Neville understood the threat of Voldemort better than most people did. He was   
probably the reason that Neville was so closed up and shy.  
Throughout their talk Hannah comforted Neville as he opened himself up to her. She was the only person he could really talk to.  
"I don't know, Hannah." He concluded, "What's going to happen to us? To Everyone? Everything's just been getting worse and worse."  
Hannah moved closer to Neville and rested her head on his shoulder. "Neville, I wish I had answers for you, but I think you know more about this than I do."  
Neville put his left arm around Hannah and looked down at her. "What bothers me most is that we know he's planning something terrible, but we don't know when he'll strike. It could be a year from now but then again it could be tomorrow. I'm so scared Hannah." Indeed, Hannah glanced at Neville at that moment and saw the fear in his eyes. Neville continued, "What if something happened to you? I couldn't live anymore! I... I..." Neville's voice faltered.  
"What is it?" Hannah asked, sitting up, alarmed.  
"I, I just don't want to think of the fact that I could lose you like I've lost everyone else."  
Hannah's eyes shone with tears as she answered. "Neville, You'll never lose me, I promise!" she cried and hugged him. "I promise." She whispered in his ear.  
  
What happened next, Neville recalled as he accidentally sank into one of the trick stairs on his way back, could only be described as a cruel twist of fate.  
Hannah had back away from her hug and began to lean towards Neville, who had done the same. They had been so close that he could feel Hannah's shallow breathing on his lips. He swallowed and closed his eyes...  
Of course, the Giant Squid had had to choose that moment to go splashing around the lake!  
  
Neville reached and stomped his foot in frustration, dripping water all over the floor. He looked around, eyes narrowed, catching his breath.  
It was the worst luck in the world, he decided, his luck. No. Wait. He'd promised himself that he'd stop being helpless.  
He turned back to go through the Portrait Hole... and slammed right into the Fat Lady!  
"Owww!!!" Two voices cried out simultaneously.   
Neville staggered away clutching his head and the Fat Lady looked at him darkly.  
"You need a password to get in. No matter how much you try, you're NOT a Hogwarts ghost!" she said dryly.  
"I'm so sorry!" Neville apologized. "I thought I'd already given you the password."  
"No. I'm afraid you have to open your mouth and speak for that!"  
And so, a very disgruntled Neville opened his mouth and spoke and entered Gryffindor Tower without banging into and annoying anything further.  
The common room was practically empty, being as the quidditch match was still on. There were only a few students scattered about, taking a break from the excitement.  
Neville took a quick look around. Needless to say, Harry and Ron were not there.  
He climbed the stairs to his room and went and flopped down on his bed, ignoring the fact that he was still quite wet. He heard a croak next to his ear and turned on his side.  
"Trevor!" Neville exclaimed, finding his toad sitting inches from his nose.  
Trevor, terrified by Neville's shout, jumped a foot in the air and landed on Neville's pillow. He gave an angry "croak."  
"Sorry." Neville said apologetically.  
"Ribbit."  
Neville looked at his pet toad thoughtfully. "You know Trevor," he said, "You're really great to talk to, and I know you won't tell anyone my secrets..."  
Trevor croaked.  
"And I know you understand me even though you're a toad."  
"Ribbit."   
Neville chuckled. "Yes, and I understand you even though I'm not." He sighed audibly.  
"Ribbit, croooaak?"  
"What's wrong?!" Neville got up and laughed mirthlessly. "Well, everything for a start! Don't get me wrong, I'm feeling better and there hasn't been any mail about Gran so she must be alright, but everything seems so, I don't know, distant, out of place. Do you know what I'm on about?"  
"Croak."  
"Good. You see, the thing is, every time I try to find time alone with Hannah something always goes wrong." Neville put his face in his hands and groaned. "This time was a nightmare. Just look at me!"  
Trevor tilted his head to the side. "Croak."  
"What do you mean, I look fine to you!" Neville said looking up suddenly. "I'm all wet! The Giant Squid simply decided to take a swim at the exact moment that I... Arghhh!!!" Neville flopped onto his bed yet again causing Trevor to make his highest jump yet and plop down again next to him.  
"Ribbit!"  
"Sorry again." Neville replied. He gave a sigh and looked down at his hands. "Do you think it might be fate?"  
Trevor croaked and then bounced.  
"I mean, Professor Trelawney was talking about it the other day. She said that the course of everyone's life is written in the stars at their birth, and you can't defy what's been foretold. Normally, I believe her in class, look at the amount of teacups I've broken, but Gran always told me that life was what you made of it." He paused and took Trevor in his hands. "Now I'm not so sure."  
Trevor stayed where he was for a moment and then jumped into Neville's lap. He then bounced to the floor and scuttled under the bed.  
"Trevor! Don't run away!" Neville cried.  
Trevor might be a good listener but he was terrible at staying still for any period of time exceeding five minutes.  
"Trevor!" Neville called again, annoyed. He got down on his knees and reached under his bed.  
Neville rarely cleaned down there and even though the house-elves cleaned the dorms every day, believe it or not, they often neglected to tidy under beds. Oh they swept and dusted but anything that fell down there stayed down there. Period.  
Neville's hand fell upon something flat made of paper. He pulled it out. His calendar! He'd wondered where he'd put that.  
He got ready to go completely under but stopped when he suddenly remembered something. He grabbed the calendar and turned the pages quickly to October. What was the date today? It had been the twenty fourth of September when he'd heard about Gran. So today, today...  
Neville gasped excitedly.  
His birthday was in two days!  
Trevor forgotten, Neville stood up and paced the room. His birthday was in two days! Two days and he hadn't even remembered! Well that was no surprise, considering all that happened recently.  
A plan began to form in Neville's head. The excitement of his birthday having sent an adrenaline rush through his body.  
Perhaps fate was on his side after all.  
  
The next morning at breakfast, Neville knew what he was going to do.  
The Ravenclaw-Slytherin match was still on so half of the school wasn't at breakfast. Harry and Ron, however, were taking a break.  
Neville walked into the Great Hall, spotted them and headed towards them to take a seat. But as he approached, he saw Harry quickly silence Ron and nod in his direction. Ron turned around and saw him coming. He turned back to the table, pretending to have been looking at someone else. Neville's suspicions arose as he sat down opposite them and he had a feeling that something wasn't right.  
"Good morning!" he said cheerfully, trying to break the awkward silence that had come with his joining the table.  
"Hi." Harry said, not meeting Neville's gaze.  
"Morning." Said Ron.  
Harry glanced at Neville. "You look much better. How do you feel?" Harry was obviously trying to take Neville's mind off of whatever he and Ron had been talking about before. Neville let him.  
"I'm feeling much better, thank you." He replied. Harry opened his mouth to say something more but was interrupted by the arrival of the mail.  
Dozens of owls streamed into the Great Hall bringing packages, letters and newspapers to their owners.  
Neville applied himself to his toast. He wasn't expecting any letters.  
That's why he was so surprised when a Great Grey owl landed in his porridge with a letter in its beak.   
"Hey Neville, you got a letter." Ron exclaimed.  
With a shaking hand Neville reached out and took the letter from the owl, who, having concluded his job, plucked a rind of bacon from Neville's plate and flew away.  
Neville looked at the letter and his heart sank when he saw it was from his grandmother. He hoped she was alright.  
"It's from my Gran." He said, his voice raspy.  
Ron looked up from the letter his mother had sent and Harry put down his copy of the Daily Prophet and eyed the envelope worriedly.  
"Go on, open it." He said trying to encourage him.  
Neville slowly opened the envelope and took out the letter. He unfolded the parchment and read:  
~~*~~  
'Dearest Neville,  
I'm writing to tell you that I'm going to be alright.-'  
  
"Gran's ok!" Neville cried, insurmountable relief welling up inside him.  
Harry smile, really smiled, and Ron 'whooped!'.  
Neville turned back yo the letter.  
  
'The doctors at St. Mungo's have informed me that from now on, I'm going to have to be a little more careful. It was quite a serious attack. They told me that it was caused mostly by stress. The truth is, I've been very worried about you lately, going to school where I know I can't watch over you. Everything is changing and we are as well. All things as we have known them are now coming to an end and for good or the opposite, our way of life is reshaping itself into something we haven't yet encountered.  
But still, always remember what I told you. Life is what you make of it.'  
  
Neville looked up, dumbstruck.  
How did she know? How could she know that that was just what he'd needed now?! Perhaps they were both right. His Gran and Trelawney. Life is written in the stars but fate can be rewritten. What's been foretold can be wrong and what is supposed to be can be changed. Our actions are always held in the balance between good and evil. Only we can decide which way they'll go.  
Fate is what you make of it.  
  
'I want you to know something. I know I scold more than I praise and I know I'm a bit harsh sometimes, but you should know how proud I love you and how proud I am to have you as a grandson. I was ill, but I pulled through for and because of you. My thoughts were ever with you and ever will be. You are my light, you are my heart, you are my world.   
Live.  
All my love and Happy Birthday,  
Gran  
P.S. Great Uncle Algie sends his regards.'  
~~*~~  
  
Neville stared at the letter in his hands, not knowing exactly what to do. He had tears in his eyes but didn't bother to wipe them away. What was one supposed to feel after something like that? He knew his grandmother loved him but she didn't often tell him and she had never once told him she was proud of him. He felt love and warmth and joy and almost at once felt an even greater fear for her health than he had before. His emotions were overwhelming. A tear rolled down his cheek.  
"Neville?" A tentative voice called him back from his trance-like state. He looked up, completely disoriented, to find Harry and Ron looking at him with worried expressions. "Are you alright?" Ron asked.  
"What? Oh, yes, I'm fine. I... It's just..." Neville wiped his eyes. "I'll, I'm fine." He smiled. "Great, as a matter of fact."  
Harry and Ron exchanged concerned glances, but went back to their breakfasts.  
  
They day passed without any surprises besides for the sudden end of the quidditch game thanks to a spectacular catch of the golden snitch by the Ravenclaw captain and seeker, Cho Chang.  
Neville was in a good mood all day and was fully confident that he'd be able to catch Hannah alone the next day.  
In order to do so, Neville went up to the owlry that night to send her a note, which she would receive the following morning. It was short and to the point.  
-Hannah-  
Meet me at the library tonight at 6:00.  
I need to talk to you.  
Love, Neville  
He left the note with one of the school owl along with explicit instructions not to deliver it until breakfast. He then went down to Gryffindor Tower to do a nasty Potions essay on Cordovian Carris Seeds for Snape.  
Neville couldn't be more thrilled.  
  
The morning dawned bright and clear. Outside the birds were greeting the sun and the dew was glimmering in the grass and trees.  
Neville couldn't have asked for a nicer day. He woke up refreshed and excited, his dreams had been calm and soothing. He felt different, somehow, being 15. It was funny, he thought, he was barely older than he'd been the day before and yet it seemed as if he'd grown so much in the short time between yesterday and today. It' the feeling everyone gets, knowing that you can finally call yourself one year older officially.  
He awoke enveloped in the warmth of his covers with the sun shining through the window onto his face. He didn't want to get out of bed but the sound of movement in the room told him that he'd better get up and go down to breakfast.  
Breakfast. There was something important about breakfast.  
Suddenly, Neville leaped out of bed with a yell and started putting his socks on.  
"Arghhh!!!!" Ron jumped and fell out of his four-poster. Neville's shout had managed to wake up the only boy who'd still been sleeping.  
Harry, still dressed in his boxers and t-shirt (A.N:) That's for all you Harry lovers out there, including me!) burst out laughing as a very disgruntled Ron untangled himself from his blankets and got up. His hair was sticking up in all directions and so when he glared in Neville's direction, to give him a piece of his mind, he looked remarkably like a mad scientist. This caused Harry to laugh even harder.  
Ron shot Harry a look that would have quailed a hippogriff and once again turned to Neville.  
"What in bloody hell are you yelling about?!!" he shouted louder than Neville had before, "You want to scare me to death?!"  
Neville blushed and smiled apologetically. "I'm terribly sorry." He said.  
"Yeah Ron. Give him a break, we all know what today is." Harry said slyly.  
Neville's eyes widened.  
"Happy birthday Neville." Harry said, smiling and still snickering about Ron's hair.  
Dean and Seamus also gave Neville their congratulations. While Seamus was shaking his hand, he saw Harry give Ron a meaningful look and saw Ron smile conspiratorially. Neville furrowed his brow. Something was definitely up...  
Ron came up and gave him and gave him a slap on the back causing him to sputter and cough. "Happy birthday Neville." He said, grinning, looking all the more like a mad scientist. "No hard feelings I suppose." He added still slightly disgruntled, earning him Harry's elbow in his ribs.  
"Oww!" Ron rubbed his side but joined in the other boy's laughter. "Well, in any case, congratulations." He said smiling.  
"Thank you." Neville replied happily to them all and then began searching under his bed for his missing shoe.  
  
Breakfast that morning was a tense affair for Neville. He kept alternating his glance from the ceiling, waiting for the mail, to Fred and George who'd been giving him strange looks and snickering all morning. They were making him extremely nervous. And he still couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He served himself toast and eggs but barely touched it out of nerves.  
He looked towards the Hufflepuff table and saw Hannah talking with her friend Susan Bones. The rest of the Great Hall suddenly ceased to exist and there was only her, rosy cheeked and smiling. She glanced over in his direction only to find him doing the same and gave him a wave.  
Neville's stomach disappeared, no, wait, it was still there, it was just spinning around so fast that it seemed like it wasn't.  
He was suddenly very nervous and was just contemplating going up to the owlry to stop his note when he was distracted by the sound of hundreds of flapping wings.  
Now his stomach had disappeared.  
He looked up, turning pale and spotted the school owl he'd used soaring down towards Hannah. He watched her take the note quizzically and read it. She looked up towards Neville and nodded, blushing slightly. Neville forgot his dread and became completely unfocused again, sighing happily as he watched he return to her toast and juice, smiling to herself. He didn't notice Fred and George exchange knowing glances as their faces lit up with the same unnerving grin...  
  
Fred and George might have been planning something exceptionally nasty but being as Neville didn't know about it, his only worries that day were connected to meeting Hannah at 6:oo. Time seemed to pass by agonizingly slow and lessons seemed so much more boring than usual. Even Herbology didn't interest him today.  
"Longbottom! Pay attention!" Professor Sprout called for about the third time that day.   
Neville tried to concentrate on the Cat-whiskered Cactus that he was supposed to be repotting. He couldn't see what was so interesting or magical about a cactus that said 'meow' whenever it was thirsty (which, of course, wasn't very often) and nothing more.  
"What's the matter, Shortbottom? Your Gran die? Or did she just finally realize that she had a total squib for a grandson?!" Malfoy laughed and Crabbe and Goyle joined in stupidly.  
Neville's hands shook with hurt and anger as he pulled over a bag of dragon manure. He ignored Malfoy, or at least he tried to. He kept reminding himself what Harry, Ron and Hermione had told him in his first year... "You're worth twelve of Malfoy, Neville."  
The memory made him smile even though it also reminded him of the fateful quidditch match of the same year where he'd tried to take on both Crabbe and Goyle single-handedly. He'd been out cold for two days afterwards...  
  
That day, McGonnagal gave him one detention and yelled at him four times for not paying attention, he broke three more of Professor Trelawney's teacups, fell asleep in Professor Binn's class (well, that wasn't really out of the ordinary) and stepped in several different trick stairs.  
The day was going wonderfully.  
Dinner was at 5:00 that evening, and Neville couldn't eat a bite. He was utterly distracted and kept looking over at the Hufflepuff table. Harry and Ron were discussing something in hushed voices, so Neville couldn't hear them. Not that he was paying them any attention any way.  
He was going to do it. He was going to kiss Hannah. Well, he hoped he'd kiss Hannah. And if anyone interrupted them this time, they could expect to be cursed into next week!  
This thought gave him back some appetite and he served himself a generous portion of shepherd's pie and mashed potatoes.   
As he ate, Neville noticed something odd. First of all, even though it wasn't really that odd, Fred and George were whispering and had that look on their faces that always meant no good again. Second, throughout dinner he could feel people looking at him but each time he turned to the direction it was coming from, people suddenly became very interested in their food or a knife or the tablecloth.  
It was that feeling again. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. It was kind of like everyone knew something that he didn't but what it was, Neville didn't know.  
He would figure it out later, he decided. He had more pressing matters to deal with.  
Neville returned to his food (though he had quite lost his appetite again) and paid   
attention to nothing but his thoughts for the rest of meal.  
Dinner finished at 5:45, so Neville had just enough time to rush upstairs to the library. He entered the large room quietly, careful not to disturb Madame Pince's beloved peace and quiet and made his way to a table near the back. The library smelled dusty as always but what Neville always noticed was that it smelled of secrets as well. He didn't know how it could smell of secrets, he just knew that it did.  
Secrets and dust. A good enough mixture to make anyone's skin tingle, Neville thought. And good enough to make anyone extremely nervous. And that, Neville was.  
He looked at his watch. It read 5:56. Neville suddenly recalled that summer when he'd waited for Hannah to show up in Diagon Alley and she hadn't come. He still winced at the memory but for some reason he knew that she'd be here today.  
Neville sat back and relaxed (well, sort of) and waited.  
Not five minutes had gone by when he spotted a familiar figure come through the door. He got up and walked towards Hannah and as he approached her she smiled at him and his heart did a somersault in his chest. He smiled.  
"Hi, Hannah." He said.  
"Hi, Neville." She answered.  
They stood there nervously, an awkward silence hanging between them.  
Neville racked his brain for something to say but didn't come up with anything.  
The silence was just becoming unbearable when Hannah said, "Do you want to go for a walk?"  
Neville looked at her gratefully. "I'd love to."  
So they left the library and headed off down the Charms corridor. They were quiet as they walked, but know it was a different silence. They were both deep in thought, simply enjoying the presence of the person next to them.  
After about ten minutes, Neville stopped Hannah and nodded towards an empty classroom to his right.  
"Come on." He said.  
She followed him into the abandoned room and sat down on one of the front desks. Laughing, she said, "Well, Professor Longbottom, I suggest you begin the lesson!"  
Neville smiled but didn't laugh. Ha was too nervous. What he really wanted to do was simply hold her and kiss her, without any awkwardness, without having to have a mile long discussion beforehand. Why couldn't life be simpler? But that was a question no one knew the answer to.  
Neville suddenly remembered the letter his grandmother had sent him the day before.  
"Hey, my Gran sent me a letter yesterday!" he began brightly. He got up from the desk he'd been sitting on and pulled the envelope from his pocket.  
Hannah looked surprised. "She did? Oh, Neville, did something happen? I hope nothing's wrong! Is something wro-" Neville had walked over to her while she'd been rambling and daringly put his finger to her lips to quiet her. Hannah's eyes widened in surprise.  
"Shhh..." he said. "Gran's fine, or she's going to be."  
Neville realized suddenly where his finger was and quickly removed it. He cleared his throat.  
But Hannah had been temporarily distracted by Neville's good news. She looked ecstatic. "Oh! I'm so happy for you Neville! And relieved. I know how important she is for you. This is wonderful!" She hugged Neville, sharing his relief and joy while giving him some of her own.  
"Yeah." Neville said, his knees slightly weak from being so close to Hannah. "It is." He pulled away. "Do you want to read it?" he asked her.  
"The letter? Are you sure? I mean, you don't mind?"  
"Hannah, I love you." He said earnestly. "You are the only person that I would ever dream of sharing all of my secrets with. And myself." He paused and looked at her intently. "Everything that I am is yours. Forever."  
Hannah gave a small gasp and looked as though she would cry.  
He handed her the letter and as it passed from his hand to hers, they both felt a sudden jolt, like a shock throughout their entire bodies. They looked up at eachother quickly, wonder imminent in their faces. They knew, somehow, that what they'd felt had not been a fluke.  
Hannah looked down at the letter in her hand as if Neville had literally just given his whole self to her in that envelope.  
It was the gesture that sealed their fate in the stare for eternity and it was a fate that neither of them would ever want to change.  
She slowly took out the parchment, unfolded it and read. Neville watched her expression soften and a tear roll down her cheek as she reached the end and then, having finished, look up at him with shining eyes.  
"My G-d, Neville. I know how much this must mean to you. And for you to have gotten this now, just when you probably needed it most."  
'There she goes again.' Thought Neville. 'Understanding parts of me I haven't even told her about.' She really was extraordinary.  
"You know," he said aloud, "she's right. Times are changing, and even though we still have the present. For as long as we do, you'll have me."  
"Oh, Neville." Hannah whispered.  
And so, he kissed her.  
It was nothing at all like he'd expected it. Hannah's lips were soft and sweet and fit his perfectly at every angle, but that wasn't what he meant. He'd thought he'd feel exhilarated or happy, but he hadn't expected everything that had come with kissing her. He felt overwhelmed. There was love and need, there was joy and grief, fear but confidence. There were memories and dreams, hopes, desires.   
There was the past, there was the present and there was the future.  
Neville was completely lost, yet he knew exactly where he was and what to do. He held Hannah by her waist, though, whether to bring her closer or to keep himself from falling down, he didn't know. Indeed, he felt that if he ever let go he would lose half of himself and collapse. His breathing had become shallow and he found that he'd have to stop soon to breath.  
Drat. Lungs were such a bother.  
He pulled away and leaned his forehead against Hannah's. She was also breathing unevenly and her cheeks were flushed.  
"Wow." Was all that Neville could whisper. His voice had become completely useless.  
They stood there for a few minutes in eachother's arms, neither one moving.  
Neville felt entirely at peace with himself just holding Hannah, breathing in the smell of her hair- peaches and cinnamon. He sighed.  
"For a while I thought fate was against us." He said, having recovered the use of his voice. He looked over Hannah's head out the window.  
"Why?" she asked.  
"You know." he chuckled. "Somehow, someone or something always managed to bother us. I thought I'd go crazy. But during the last few days I realized that if you believe something is possible, then it is." He looked down at Hannah to find her smiling up at him.  
"Trevor agrees with me."  
"Oh, really?" Hannah said, amused.  
"Yes." Neville grinned and kissed her again.  
And again he was lost... that is, he was lost until-  
"Neville?!"  
Hannah and Neville broke apart faster than Harry could catch the golden snitch and turned to find none other than Harry himself standing there, looking at them incredulously. But that wasn't all. Oh, no.  
Neville and Hannah's faces blushed crimson when they saw that half of Gryffindor was standing behind him.  
All was silent until Fred or George called out from behind Harry, "Way to go Neville!"  
Neville thought he'd die of embarrassment.  
Harry smiled and the rest of the Gryffindors laughed good-naturedly and then cried-  
"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEVILLE!"   
Everyone entered the classroom, many holding cakes and candies and bottles of butterbeer. Harry came up to him, bemused.  
"Sorry Neville. Did we interrupt something?"  
"Harry! What is this?!" he asked, exasperated.  
"Isn't it obvious? Happy birthday Neville. Ron, Hermione and I planned the party, although I did most of the work considering Ron and Hermione were usually "preoccupied"." He snickered.  
"But Harry," Neville began, still blushing, Hannah standing beside him rosy-cheeked, "couldn't you have done this in Gryffindor Tower?" He looked at Harry expectantly.  
"Oh, well, Fred and George had an idea to bring the party to you. Now I know why. I think they probably knew you two were going to meet, though I have no idea how."  
At that moment, the twins in question came up to Neville. Fred (or he assumed that it was Fred) punched him in the arm. "We knew you had it in you all along, Neville!" he laughed.  
Neville was by nature a peaceful boy but at that moment he thought that he would strangle Fred and George. They were smaller than Crabbe and Goyle. He could take them.  
George turned to Hannah and bowed in (what he must have thought was) a graceful manner. "Neville, if anything can be said about you, it is that you have excellent taste in women." He took Hannah's hand and kissed it.  
Fred snorted. "Yeah, my brother, the gentleman. Watch out, you'll be replacing Percy as Mum's favorite next, George."  
Harry, Neville and Hannah burst out laughing.  
George pretended to be mortally offended while Fred grabbed some potato chips.  
"Crisp, Neville?" he offered.  
Neville took it without thinking and popped it into his mouth.  
"No! Neville!" Hannah yelled. But it was too late. Neville had turned into a rather large purple toad.  
Everyone laughed, including Hannah. Neville gave a loud croak, bounced once and turned back into himself.  
"Fred and George!" He yelled.  
"Sorry Neville!" said George grinning. "We needed someone to test them on!"  
"Come and get 'em!" called Fred to the other party members. "Croaking Crisps! Brought to you exclusively by Weasley's Wizard Wheezes! The larger the crunch, the larger the toad!"  
Neville couldn't help it. He laughed too and as he looked around he felt that he really had friends.  
Harry was cracking up, holding Ginny's hand. Ron and Hermione were off in a corner, slightly oblivious to anything else that existed and Hannah, well Hannah was next to him and she loved him. That was all he needed. His grandmother was going to be fine, life was moving on. True, no one knew what tomorrow would hold but somehow, Neville knew that tomorrow wouldn't be all that bad, or the rest of life, for that matter.  
And suddenly, Neville understood-  
Everything was going to be ok.  
  
The End.  
  
  
  
A.N:) That's it. Finito! I'm really going to miss this story.  
I might write an epilogue. We'll see.  
Thank you to everyone who reviewed this story and I hope you enjoy my next one, which I've already begun to plan...  
Bye ~ RosieG 


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